Stop blaming Cong, step down instead: Ibobi tells Biren

By Our Staff Reporter

IMPHAL, Jan 3: The BJP Government blaming the Congress party as responsible for the present crisis for not fencing the Indo-Myanmar border and signing the Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement with Kuki militant groups is akin to a dancer blaming the stage for his/her awkward movements, remarked CLP leader and former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi and asked Chief Minister N Biren to step down instead of playing the blame game.

Speaking to media persons at Congress Bhavan, BT Road here today, Okram Ibobi asserted that Chief Minister N Biren, apart from tendering an apology, must own moral responsibility for the large scale and protracted violence, and step down.

Pointing out that the violent crisis besieging Manipur is now nearing two years, Ibobi urged the double-engine BJP Govern- ments at the Centre and the State to first take up concrete measures to bring a solution to the protracted crisis instead of shirking their responsibilities by blaming the Congress party.

Even if mistakes or wrong deeds were committed by the Congress Government, the BJP Government may correct those mistakes and focus on saving the lives and properties of the people of Manipur. First bring the law and order under control and restore peace, Ibobi said.

Point out the mistakes committed by the Congress Government as well as the corrective measures taken up by the BJP Government. Congress party would sincerely appreciate it, Ibobi said before appealing to the BJP Government to initiate tangible steps so that the displaced can go back to their homes and all the people can live in peace.

It is a matter of shame that the BJP Government has been blaming the alleged wrong deeds of Con- gress for the current crisis.

Claiming that the Congress Government imple- mented a number of development projects both in the valley and the hills, the former Chief Minister asserted that whatever development schemes, projects and infrastructure seen today in Manipur were done by the Congress Government.

The 10 Kms of border fencing which was reported recently was taken up during the Congress Govern- ment. Setting a target of around 10 Kms, the Government started the border fencing project, he said.

BJP Government should give up its notion of taking the people as fools. BJP should never forget that the people of Manipur are not fools, he said.

Reacting to N Biren’s charge that Kuki immigrants were allowed unrestricted entry and the signing of the SoO agreement between the Congress Government and Kuki militant groups led to the present crisis, Ibobi pointed out that N Biren himself served as a Cabinet Minister of the Congress Government for a long time from 2002.

When a Congress Government was formed in the State in 2002, the State Government urged the BJP Government at the Centre led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee to fence the Manipur-Myanmar border. After all, fencing any international boundary is the responsibility of the Ministry of Home Affairs, he said.

It was only after a Congress Government led by Dr Manmohan Singh was formed at the Centre that the border fencing work was initiated in 2010-11.

Out of the total amount sanctioned for the border fencing work from border pillar numbers 79 to 81, Rs 5.03 crore was deposited with the Forest Department as afforestation component. All the details of the Indo (Manipur)- Myanmar boundary fencing are with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ibobi said.

After administrative approval was granted for an amount of Rs 30.96 crore in 2011-12, border fencing was completed for 4.2 Kms in 2013-14 and subsequently Rs 16.38 crore was released.

The border fencing work should have continued if not for the strong protest by ICHAM led by Boy who is the younger brother of Chief Minister N Biren. ICHAM was contending that the border fencing work gave away large chunks of Manipur’s territory and the international boundary should be first re-demarcated, Ibobi said.

The State Cabinet then adopted a decision and approached the Government of India’s Director General of Survey and the Myanmar Director General of Survey to re-survey the international boundary. Thus the border fencing work was halted, the former Chief Minister recalled.

The border fencing work did not resume immediately after the BJP Government was formed in 2017. It was only in 2021-22 that the border fencing work was resumed, he said.

In 2025, only 9.2 Kms of border fencing has been completed. Yet, the BJP Government has been deceiving the people as if all the fencing works are done by it, Ibobi remarked.

Manipur and Myanmar share an international border spanning around 398 Kms. Even if 10 Kms is assumed to be complete, 388 Kms are yet to be fenced, Ibobi said.

He then asked if illegal immigration from Myanmar has been stopped completely through the 388 Kms of unfenced border after the BJP Government was formed.

Quoting a report furnished by the Ministry of Home Affairs to the UN, Ibobi stated that large scale illegal immigration from Myanmar to India took place after the military coup and toppling of the Aung San Suu Kyi Government in the neighbouring country in 2020-21.

Pointing out that illegal immigration from Myanmar continues even today, the CLP leader asked the BJP Government not to blame the Congress when it is unable to check the continuous immigration.

It is rather shameful that Chief Minister N Biren was pointing his fingers at Kuki narco-terrorists only to shift the blame to external aggression the next day, he remarked.

It is the Government of India’s policy to bring peace in disturbed areas by signing ceasefire agreements with armed groups. After it was learnt that the Assam Rifles and several Kuki armed groups had declared an unofficial ceasefire since 2005, the then Congress Government signed SoO agreement with the Kuki armed groups in 2008.

The SoO ground rules clearly laid down that the Kuki militants would not challenge the territorial integrity of Manipur, would refrain from extortion, wouldn't attack security forces, would work under the Constitution of India and all their arms would be deposited at their designated camps.

Instead of blaming the Congress Government for signing SoO agreement with Kuki militants including those headed by foreigner Kukis, the double-engine BJP Governments of the Centre and the State can abrogate the SoO agreement and the foreigner Kuki militant leader may be arrested under the Foreigners’ Act, Ibobi said.

People of the State know very well what the SoO ground rules say and what the Government can do if any group violates the ground rules, he said.

The former Chief Minister asserted that the BJP Government should stop blaming the Congress party for its misgovernance and inaptitude.

The apology tendered by Chief Minister N Biren recently is rather unfortunate. So many people have lost their lives, many others maimed and many still missing. The Chief Minister’s apology is surprising considering the fact the incumbent Government allowed the people to kill each other for almost two years, Ibobi remarked.

Recalling Biren’s admission that there were security lapses and intelligence failure, Ibobi asserted that Chief Minister N Biren should be held accountable for the protracted crisis.

It would be far better if N Biren steps down from the seat of Chief Minister instead of tendering an apology.

Tendering an apology and then keeping quiet is rather shameful, Ibobi continued.

MPCC president K Meghachandra, deputy CLP leader K Ranjit and former Speaker Th Lokeshwar were also present at the press meet.