'Why Narasimha Rao, I K Gujral did not visit Manipur during previous conflict': Biren Singh counters Jairam Ramesh

Guwahati: Countering Congress leader Jairam Ramesh's question on why PM Narendra Modi did not visit Manipur yet to apologise for the ongoing Meitei-Kuki conflict, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Wednesday asked why PV Narasimha Rao and IK Gujaral did not visit the Northeastern state during the Naga-Kuki conflict between 1992 and 1997 and the Paite-Kuki conflict between 1997 and 1998, when they were the Prime Ministers.

Singh asked why the two Congress Prime Ministers did not visit the state even as over 1650 people had died during the two ethnic conflicts, of which the Naga-Kuki conflict lasted for five years.

"The Naga-Kuki clashes resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,300 people and the displacement of thousands more. The violence persisted for several years, with periodic escalations occurring between 1992 and 1997, though the most intense period of conflict was in 1992–1993. The clashes began in 1992 and continued at varying intensities for around five years (1992–1997). This period marked one of the bloodiest ethnic conflicts in Northeast India, deeply affecting relations between the Naga and Kuki communities in Manipur. Did Shri PV Narasimha Rao, who served as the Prime Minister of India from 1991 to 1996, and was the President of the Indian National Congress during this time, come to Manipur to extend an apology?" Singh asked Raesh on X.

"The Kuki-Paite clashes claimed 350 lives in the state. During most of the Kuki-Paite clashes (1997–1998), Shri IK Gujral was the Prime Minister of India. Did he visit Manipur and say sorry to the people?" Singh further asked.

On Tuesday, Ramesh targeted Singh soon after the Manipur CM expressed "regret" and "apologised" to the victims of the Meitei-Kuki conflict that have killed more than 250 people and rendered over 60,000 others displaced. In a post on X, Ramesh asked why PM Modi did not visit Manipur and apologised to the people of Manipur even as he was constantly visiting other countries.

In the long post on the X, Manipur CM said the apology he extended was a "sincere act of expressing my grief for the people who have been left displaced and become homeless." "As a Chief Minister, it was an appeal to forgive and forget what had happened. However, you brought politics into it. Instead of putting efforts to solve the core issues in Manipur, why is the @INCIndia playing politics over it all the time?"

'Sins' of Congress in the past: Singh

Singh charged that Manipur was in turmoil due to the "past sins" committed by Congress, which included repeated settlement of the Burmese refugees and signing of Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreements with the Myanmar-based insurgents during the tenure of P. Chidambaram as Home Minister. Singh's charges were in line with most of the Meitei organisations, who have been demanding abrogation of the agreements and implementation of the National Register of Citizens in Manipur in order to detect "illegal migrants" from Myanmar.

The Meitei groups says "illegal migrants" belonging to Kuki-Zo communities disturbed the demography of Manipur and posed a threat to identity of the "indigenous communities," mainly the Meiteis.