The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in Manipur has questioned the recent meeting between a delegation of the state’s Naga legislators and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, alleging that the absence of Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh from the discussions raises serious concerns over the functioning of the BJP-led government.
The meeting, held in New Delhi on Wednesday, was attended by leaders of the United Naga Council (UNC) and a delegation of Naga legislators. While the agenda of the meeting has not been officially disclosed, sources said discussions are believed to have centred on the prevailing conflict situation in Manipur, including the killing of six Naga hostages allegedly by Kuki militants.
The meeting comes at a time when demands for justice have intensified following the reported admission by the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) that Kuki militants were responsible for the brutal killing of the six Naga hostages. The KZC also reportedly described the killings as a “big mistake” and expressed regret over the incident.
According to sources, the KZC’s admission has further strengthened the Naga community’s demand for the arrest, prosecution and exemplary punishment of all those involved in the killings. The United Naga Council and other Naga civil society organisations are also expected to hold discussions on the issue in the coming days.
Sources further claimed that the reported acknowledgement by the KZC could assist investigators in identifying those responsible, particularly as no Kuki militant group, whether under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement or outside it, has officially claimed responsibility for the killings.
Meanwhile, addressing a press conference in Imphal, CLP leader Keisham Meghachandra Singh described the meeting with Amit Shah as “unprecedented” and questioned why Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh was not part of the delegation.
According to Meghachandra, the delegation of Manipur’s Naga MLAs was led by Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio during the meeting with the Union Home Minister.
“If issues concerning Manipur were discussed, why was the Chief Minister of Manipur excluded? Such a move undermines the authority and institutional dignity of the office,” Meghachandra alleged.
He also questioned the participation of Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho and claimed the meeting reflected a lack of confidence among the Naga legislators in the leadership of Chief Minister Khemchand Singh.
“The meeting symbolises that Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho and the Naga legislators have no trust in the present BJP Chief Minister of Manipur,” he alleged.
The Congress leader maintained that issues concerning Manipur should be discussed with the active participation of the state’s elected leadership and sought an explanation from the BJP-led government over the state’s representation during the meeting.
He further criticised the government’s functioning, alleging a lack of transparency and collective responsibility in governance.
Referring to Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen, Meghachandra questioned her continued functioning from New Delhi despite the prevailing situation in the state.
“A deputy chief minister should govern from the state. Operating from Delhi signifies the absence of effective governance,” he alleged.
Stepping up his attack, Meghachandra described Chief Minister Khemchand Singh as a “paper tiger”, alleging that he lacked the authority to effectively lead the state administration.
The BJP-led Manipur government had not issued any official response to the Congress allegations at the time of filing this report.
