Over 5,400 'illegal immigrants' detected so far, biometrics being collected for deportation: Manipur CM Biren Singh

Guwahati: Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Wednesday said a total of 5,457 "illegal immigrants" have been detected so far and biometrics of 5,173 have been collected for their deportation.

Sharing the information on X, Singh said survival of the indigenous people of the state were at stake due to massive influx and his government would not allow this to continue.

This came days after Singh said that several new villages had come up in Manipur due to massive influx from neighbouring Myanmar since 2006.

On May 3 this year, when the ongoing conflict between the majority Meitei and the Kuki tribes completed one year, Singh said 38 "illegal migrants" were deported through the border in Moreh and were handed over to Myanmar officials. A total of 77 Myanmar nationals were similarly deported in the first phase of deportation, he had said.

The Myanmar nationals were deported following growing demand from the Meitei organisations for deportation of "illegal Chin-Kuki migrants" to Myanmar.

The deportation was carried out despite appeals by "pro-democracy" organisations in Myanmar not to hand over the Myanmar nationals to the military regime, which took over the reins in 2021. They recently appealed to Singh to postpone the deportation drive on "humanitarian grounds" till democracy was restored in Myanmar.

On Wednesday, Singh claimed that some "home grown groups" based out of western countries were criticising the steps taken against "illegal immigrants" by giving a communal tone and propagating it as violations of religious freedom.

"Ironically, this lobby is quiet about western countries' stance against illegal immigration but raises objections to the actions taken in Manipur, India. This selective outrage raises concerns about the agendas and propaganda pursued by these groups with secessionist tendencies," Singh further posted in X.