Meitei Body Calls President's Rule in Manipur "Most Unfortunate" and "Undemocratic"

PTI, Imphal, February 14, 2025 : The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), an umbrella body of several civil society organizations based in Imphal, has strongly condemned the imposition of President's rule in Manipur, calling it "undemocratic" and "most unfortunate." The Meitei body also alleged that the move was a "ploy to push the state into further turmoil."

In a statement released on Friday, COCOMI criticized the sudden and unreasonable decision by the Government of India to impose President's rule, despite the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) holding an absolute majority in the state. The body argued that this move raised serious questions about the central government’s true intentions, shifting blame onto the alleged incompetence of BJP MLAs rather than addressing the real issues at hand.

COCOMI also expressed its concern over the "forced" resignation of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh just before a crucial state assembly session, describing it as an "outright betrayal of democratic principles." The body claimed that this power maneuver indicated a broader agenda to place Manipur, particularly the Meitei community, under direct military control, aligning with longstanding demands by Kuki militants and separatist groups for the imposition of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and President’s rule in the state.

The imposition of President’s rule on Thursday evening followed Chief Minister N. Biren Singh’s resignation after nearly 21 months of ethnic violence in Manipur that has claimed over 250 lives. Singh’s resignation led to political uncertainty in the state, with the BJP failing to build consensus on a new chief minister despite several rounds of discussions. The Manipur assembly’s tenure was set to last until 2027.

COCOMI further criticized BJP legislators for their failure to propose an alternative leader despite holding a majority, accusing them of inaction that allowed the central leadership to interfere and impose President’s rule under the pretext of a leadership crisis.

The body called the "undemocratic" imposition of President’s rule "unacceptable" and a violation of the principles of the Indian democratic system. COCOMI has demanded an immediate and time-bound process to elect a new leader and restore a functioning government in Manipur at the earliest.