Under fire for Manipur riots, CM decided not to quit after supporters tore up his resignation
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, who had been facing criticism for his handling of ethnic violence in the State for nearly two months, was on the brink of resigning on Friday but ultimately changed his mind due to public pressure.
The Government spokesperson and Minister Sapam Ranjan Singh said Biren was saddened by the events and decided to resign then. “The Chief Minister felt very sad about what had happened. He felt he had lost the trust of the people,” he said.
Biren Singh had started his journey towards the Governor’s House but turned back after witnessing a massive show of support outside his residence in Imphal, the Minister stated.
Hundreds of women gathered near Singh’s residence and formed a human chain, expressing their desire for him not to resign. When two Ministers emerged from his residence with a copy of his resignation letter, it was torn up in a symbolic gesture.
Later in the day, Singh clarified that he had no intentions of resigning from his post, putting an end to the day-long speculation surrounding the issue. Prior to his clarification, thousands of protesters blocked the Chief Minister’s convoy from proceeding to Raj Bhavan. Biren Singh took to Twitter, stating, “At this crucial juncture, I would like to clarify that I will not be resigning from the post of Chief Minister.”
Women leaders who met with him came out of the Chief Minister’s residence and reassured the crowd that Singh had no plans to resign. Subsequently, the crowd slowly dispersed from his residence.
Earlier in the day, hundreds of youth wearing black shirts and women sat in front of the Chief Minister’s residence, insisting that Biren Singh should not step down