Former Chief Minister Biren Singh Urges Swift Action on Illegal Immigration Amid Political Upheaval in Manipur
CONFLICT
Imphal: In a major political and strategic development amid Manipur’s volatile situation, former Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh—now a sitting MLA—has issued a strong and urgent call for decisive action on illegal immigration, citing it as a core issue fuelling the ongoing ethnic conflict that has gripped the state since May 2023.
N. Biren Singh - Former Chief Minister of Manipur
The statement came following Singh’s meeting with the Hon’ble Governor of Manipur at Raj Bhavan, held against the backdrop of a political vacuum created by his resignation and the subsequent imposition of President’s Rule in the state. The meeting, initiated on the Governor’s invitation, focused on the need to extend the deadline set by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for identifying illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Speaking to the press after the meeting, Singh reiterated that illegal immigration has been an enduring challenge for Manipur since the late 1990s, one that now poses a grave threat to the state’s demographic balance, internal security, and civilizational identity. Drawing attention to the historical sovereignty of Manipur, he referenced the Anglo-Manipuri Treaty of 1762 to underline the state's unique geopolitical and cultural standing.
Biometrics collection in progress
In a pointed critique of the porous international borders and the failure of past regimes to take sustained action, Singh detailed the BJP-led government’s efforts—including biometric verification, deportation drives, and collaboration with central agencies—to curb the inflow of undocumented immigrants. He noted that such unchecked immigration has not only caused demographic shifts but has also facilitated arms trafficking, drug smuggling, and unauthorized village formations.
He emphasized the need to audit village recognition records and plug administrative loopholes that enable the illegal settlement of foreign nationals. Singh also underscored recent successes in the state’s war on drugs, positioning the anti-immigration and anti-narcotics drives as interlinked in preserving the law-and-order fabric of Manipur.
Sounding a clarion call for coordinated state–centre cooperation, Singh asserted that the issue of illegal immigration is not just a local concern but a national security imperative. He appealed for continued public and political support for the MHA’s directives, warning that Manipur’s cultural heritage, demographic equilibrium, and territorial integrity hang in the balance.
The development marks a significant re-entry of Biren Singh into the political foreground at a time when the state remains under President’s Rule, and no elected leadership is at the helm. His remarks reflect a growing consensus in certain quarters that safeguarding Manipur’s future requires urgent structural and demographic vigilance.