Manipur CM Biren Singh says he won’t resign ‘at this crucial juncture’
Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh said on Friday he will not be resigning, this hours after he was blocked by his supporters from meeting the governor.
“At this crucial juncture, I wish to clarify that I will not be resigning from the post of Chief Minister”, Singh tweeted.
High drama ensued in Imphal as Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh was stopped by his supporters from going to Raj Bhavan to meet the governor.
Amid the continuing violence in the north-eastern state, there were speculations about Singh stepping down as the chief minister. As the reports regarding the resignation of the CM spread like wildfire, his supporters staged a protest outside the CM residence urging him not to take the step.
“We do not want the CM to resign, he should not resign. He is doing a lot of work for us. We are in giving support the CM”, a local told news agency ANI.
Hundreds of youth wearing black shirts and women sat down in front of the CM’s residence demanding that Biren Singh should not resign. The chief minister’s supporters had also gathered outside the Raj Bhavan appealing to him to not step down from the post.
Videos on social media showed the crowd blocking Singh’s convoy and stopping him to meet the governor to tender his resignation.
“We have been under a situation of turmoil since 2 months. We are looking for the day when the Govt of India and Manipur will resolve this conflict in a democratic manner. In such a situation if the Manipur CM resigns, how will the people live here? Who will lead us? He has been leading us from the beginning of the conflict. I do not want him to resign. We trust him”, a supporter told ANI.
Singh has been under fire over the ethnic violence which has rocked Manipur for now close to two months. Hundreds of people have been killed and thousands displaced in the clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities in the north-eastern state. The opposition parties have called for his resignation over his handling of the situation in Manipur.