IMPHAL: Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh has issued a daring challenge to his critics amid rising concerns about illegal immigration in the state.
Speaking at the Manipur assembly on August 6, Singh stated, “If the entry of illegal immigrants in Manipur is not true, the people can execute me by hanging.”
Singh’s strong remarks come in response to growing dissatisfaction among certain sections of Manipur’s population regarding the perceived influx of illegal immigrants.
Addressing the assembly, Singh described illegal immigration as a “grave threat” to the indigenous people of Manipur and called for the deportation of those who entered the state after 1961, with assistance from the central government.
The Manipur chief minister’s statements came in response to a query from Naga People’s Front (NPF) MLA Leishiyo Keishing.
Manipur CM Biren Singh state that the “alarming” situation, noting the significant demographic changes caused by illegal immigration and stressing the need for unity to tackle this challenge.
He pointed out the difficulty in monitoring the state’s 398-km porous and unguarded border with Myanmar, which facilitates undetected entry.
A cabinet sub-committee led by Manipur Tribal Affairs and Development Minister Letpao Haokip has been investigating the matter.
Singh reported that the sub-committee, in collaboration with the Union Home Ministry, identified nearly 2480 illegal immigrants, although he acknowledged that this figure could change.
In a recent operation, authorities detained and relocated 140 to 150 immigrants from the Churachandpur district to a shelter in Imphal.
The Manipur chief minister noted that satellite data revealed the formation of new villages following the ethnic clashes that began on May 3, 2023.