Uneasy calm, mistrust, call grows for N Biren Singh's removal

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Despite the four day visit of union home minister Amit Shah, there is a massive trust deficit among the different communities with the Meities and Kukis still squaring off against each other in Sugnu, Chandel, Bishenpur and Churachandpur.  An uneasy calm prevailed with sporadic incidents happening in remote areas, although community leaders have urged youths not desist from resorting to burning houses and attacking rivals.

All communities however uniformly agreed that chief minister N Biren Singh completely failed to control the situation in the initial stage and some even questioned his ``support for particular group'' as pictures of him with youths suspected to have indulged in violence went viral on social media. Local residents of Imphal valley as well as hill areas unanimously demanded that N Biren Singh should be removed and either replaced by another senior leader or President's rule be invoked. Speaking to ANM News, senior BJP leader and minister from the Kuki community, Letpao Haokip mentioned that peace can prevail only after mistrust among the communities is cleared.

Senior BJP minister Th.Biswajit Singh told ANM News that it is time to ``forget and forgive'' and move forward. Appealing for peace and urging warring parties to calm down, Biswajit said all communities should talk and remove misunderstandings.

The Manipur security advisor Kuldeep Singh urged all underground outfits and people who have looted arms from police stations to surrender them within three days. ``We will launch a massive combing operation,'' he said. Singh sought cooperation from all communities for law and order situation to normalise.