Manipur Updates: Conrad Sangma’s NPP withdraws support from BJP-led govt in Manipur

IMPHAL- Amid the violence in Manipur, the National People’s Party (NPP) has withdrawn its support to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Manipur government under chief minister N Biren Singh, accusing them of failing to resolve the crisis and restore normalcy.

In a letter addressed to BJP chief JP Nadda, the NPP’s chief and Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma said that they witnessed a deteriorating situation in Manipur where several innocent people lost their lives and public in the State are going through immense suffering.

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“We strongly feel that the Manipur State Government under the leadership of Shri Biren Singh has completely failed to resolve the crisis and restore normalcy,” the letter read.

“Keeping the current situation in mind, the National People’s Party has decided to withdraw its support to the Biren Singh led Government in the State of Manipur, with immediate effect,” the letter added.

The National People’s Party (NPP) leader Yumnam Joykumar Singh says, his party withdrew support from the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition government in Manipur as the situation in the state is worsening, over the year-long failure of law and order in the state.

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“The reason why our party has withdrawn support from N Biren Singh-led government is (because) things have been going from bad to worse in the state. There has been no change or improvement. The attack on the police station, CRPF camp and abduction of six persons, including three children, and their subsequent murder,” he said.

 “These things indicate that the government has no control over the administration,” the NPP leader said.

The home ministry said strict action would be initiated against anyone trying to indulge in violent and disruptive activities.

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The Centre had on Thursday re-imposed the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in Manipur’s six police station areas, including the violence-hit Jiribam.

More than 220 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and adjoining hills-based Kuki-Zo groups since May last year.

It started after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

The ethnically diverse Jiribam, which was largely untouched by the clashes in Imphal Valley and the adjoining hills, witnessed violence after the mutilated body of a farmer was found in a field in June this year.