The Chief Minister has a responsibility to protect the people’s lives and livelihoods, but N. Biren failed to deliver on his duty- NFIW

KalimNews, Imphal, 1 July 2023:  A fact-finding team from the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) responding to the on-going crises in Manipur today said that the May 3 violence in Churachandpur was a state-sponsored violence or riot’. 

Chief Minister N. Biren Singh should take moral and political responsibility for all that is happening and should have resigned from the post of Chief Minister, the NFIW general secretary told the media.

Speaking at the Manipur Press Club in Imphal, Annie Raja, General Secretary of the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW), said that they have conducted three and a half days of fact-finding in the state of Manipur by visiting both Meitei-dominated areas and Kuki-dominated areas. "After meeting the affected parties from both communities, we came to the conclusion that the May 3 violence or riot was state-sponsored violence or riot’", Annie Raja said.

The General Secretary of NFIW said that ahead of the May 3 violence, the government of Manipur had demolished many houses, alleging them to be illegal occupations, in the month of March. "In a democracy, the government should either pay compensation or make alternative arrangements if their houses have to be evicted," said Annie Raja.

Annie Raja further said that "the Chief  Minister N Biren was elected as the people’s representative, and he has a responsibility to protect the people’s lives and livelihood, but he failed to deliver his duty". And adding that after the May 3 incident, the Chief Minister, N Biren, has not made any announcement for a thorough inquiry or immediate intervention to control the situation.

The fact-finding team from the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) consists of three members. The other members are Deeksha Duivedi, Independent Advocate, and Nisha Siddhu, National Secretary, National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW).