President’s Rule a ‘deliberate ploy’ to push Manipur into further turmoil, says Meitei group

The “sudden and unreasonable” imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur was a “deliberate ploy” to push the state further into turmoil, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity, an umbrella organisation of six groups representing Meitei interests, claimed on Friday.

“This move raises serious questions about the central government’s true intentions, as it shifts the blame onto the alleged incompetency of its own BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] MLAs rather than addressing the real issues at hand,” the committee said in a press release.

The Centre imposed President’s Rule in Manipur on Thursday. The Legislative Assembly, which has a tenure till 2027, has been put under suspended animation. This came four days after BJP leader N Biren Singh resigned as chief minister.

“The forced resignation of the Chief Minister in the dead of night, just before a crucial state assembly session, without any proper explanation to the people, is an outright betrayal of democratic principles,” the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity said on Friday.

The committee asked whether this decision was made for the welfare of the residents of the state, or was a “calculated move” to deepen the crisis.

“What shocks the people of Manipur and the entire nation even more is the fact that such a drastic decision was taken without…

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