Cold war between ex-Manipur CM N Biren Singh and Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma comes to open
N Biren Singh lashes out at Conrad Sangma drags P A Sangma too
Guwahati: Former Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh on Monday lashed out at Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma accusing him of meddling into the internal affairs of his state and accused him of using the Manipur situation for political posturing.
Expressing his displeasure openly Mr Singh also dragged the name of late P A Sangma former Lok Sabha speaker and father of Meghalaya chief minister and posted a video of Mr P A Sangma speaking in Lok Sabha wayback in 2014 wherein he had propagated creation of smaller states in the northeast on ethnic pattern. Mr Singh argued that it was nothing less than dividing the northeast and putting the nation’s unity in danger.
The ex-chief minister who tagged Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K. Sangma in his social media post said, “After years of effort to safeguard indigenous populations, we have begun to make real progress such as the implementation of ILP (Inner Line Permit), a hard-won achievement. Mr Conrad K. Sangma should know that the violence was not spontaneous, it was instigated by those who feel threatened and insecure by this kind of progress. Does Mr Conrad Sangma know that Manipur had already initiated border fencing ? That the Free Movement Regime (FMR) is now strictly regulated ? Has he noticed the alarming rise in unrecognised villages within Manipur’s borders ?”
Obviously pointing finger towards Mr Sangma, the ex-chief minister Mr Singh said, “It must be noted that when Manipur was facing these serious challenges, others refrained from interfering in our internal affairs.” He said that the same courtesy was expected, yet some chose a different path, one driven by narrow interests rather than genuine concern.
Mr Singh further said, “Today, various groups across the northeast are beginning to recognise the seriousness of FMR, ILP and border security. Manipur’s experiences should serve as a lesson, not a platform for political posturing. Manipur is home to 32 indigenous tribes whose identities, cultures, and way of life deserve protection.”
“Refrain from encouraging illegal immigrants or interfering in matters that threaten this delicate balance,” the former chief minister urged. He said the people of Manipur have endured enough and prayed for peace, saying, “Let us live in peace.”
Mr Sangma who also chose the social media to respond in a post said, “It’s unfortunate that @NBirenSingh ji has dragged the name of (Late) Shri P. A. Sangma ji. Sangma ji has always fought for the people of the North East, was a strong advocate for different issues and rights of the people of the North East.
At this time, everyone’s efforts should be towards the restoration of peace and harmony in Manipur and not indulge in political posturing. We all have to work together. I once again appeal to everyone to work for the betterment of the people of Manipur. This is what (L) P A Sangma ji would have wanted.”
Manipur has been under the President’s rule since February 13, four days after chief minister N. Biren Singh, who was heading a BJP-led government for the second term, resigned on February 9, following ethnic violence for over 23 months.
In November 2024 Mr Sangma led National Peoples’ Party (NPP) had withdrawn support to N Biren Singh led BJP government in Manipur. Mr Sangma the president of NPP however had clarified that they have withdrawn support from the government in Manipur but not to the NDA.
