Manipur CM Biren Singh resigns two years after ethnic violence began

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Sunday tendered his resignation to Governor AK Bhalla.

Singh’s ouster follows his meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah earlier this week and again on Sunday.

Singh’s resignation has been a long-discussed matter in the BJP, which let him continue despite his alleged role in the violence in the state that led to over 200 killings.

The Supreme Court had recently directed the Central Forensic Sciences Laboratory (CFSL) to submit a report on the veracity of the “leaked audio tapes” where Singh is purportedly boasting about his role in the Manipur violence.

Singh, a majority Meitei leader, has been at the centre of a long ethnic conflict between the Meitei and Kuki groups in the state with the latter seeking his ouster.

Ahead of the submission of the CFSL report to the Supreme Court, which has sought it in a sealed cover given the sensitivity of the matter, Singh on Sunday met the governor and put in his papers.

“I Nongthombam Biren Singh, Chief Minister of Manipur, am submitting my resignation herewith. It has been an honour to serve the people of Manipur thus far. I am extremely grateful to the Central government for timely actions, interventions, developmental work and implementation of various projects for safeguarding the interest of every single Manipuri. My sincere request to the Central government through your good office is to continue with the same,” the resignation letter reads.