Imphal: Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh on Wednesday chaired a cabinet meeting at Ukhrul district, which is predominantly inhabited by Thangkhul Nagas, sans two of his Kuki cabinet ministers, Nemcha Kipgen and Letpao Haokip.
The absence of the two Kuki ministers have prompted BJP MLA Rajkumar Imo Singh, who is also the son-in-law of Chief Minister Biren Singh, to demand their resignation of the two Kuki ministers for not attending the cabinet meeting.
This is the first cabinet meeting held outside Manipur’s capital Imphal following the ethnic strife between Meitei and Kuki communities which erupted since May 4, 2023.
Official said the cabinet meeting held at Ukhrul mini-secretariat engaged discussions around the ongoing developmental projects.
Reportedly, the Cabinet has approved and handed over an order for setting up of Tolloi Police Station and Sub-Deputy Collector office at Paoyi village in Ukhrul district.
Infact, the Kuki cabinet ministers had skipped cabinet meetings held at CM’s secretariat in Imphal due to the ongoing ethnic conflict.
There are 10 Kuki MLAs in the 60-member Manipur Assembly but all the Kuki MLAs are demanding separate administration in the state following the ethnic strife.
The Kuki ministers and MLAs had also skipped the recently concluded assembly session cited security constraints as their reason.
Taking to his micro-blogging site X, BJP MLA Rajkumar Imo Singh, wrote : “Manipur State Cabinet was held today in Ukhrul, the first such cabinet meeting in a hill district since the May conflict. Many legislators also visited Ukhrul to participate in the State function for inauguration of various projects in the district. Government stressed to work for the unity of all Indigenous people in the State, a sense of togetherness and to march together towards peace and prosperity as one.”
“However, I fail to understand why the 2 ministers (Nemcha Kipgen and Letpao Haokip) did not attend the cabinet meeting at Ukhrul. Surely there won’t be any security issues in Ukhrul, which they claim to be in Imphal for their failure to attend work here. If they are not interested to work for the development of the State, why don’t they simply resign and continue doing things as per their wish.”
“This is not tolerable at all, they have responsibilities as they are ministers of the Government of Manipur. And if State Government sacks them as ministers, it will give them more reasons to say for their separate demands. So simply RESIGN if you don’t have the desire to attend cabinet meetings, that too held in the Hills,” he wrote on X.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Biren Singh laid foundation stones and inaugurated various projects in the district and handed over projects worth Rs. 64.38 crores to the public of Ukhrul and Kamjong districts.
