Irate mobs set fire to the residences of three BJP legislators, including a senior minister, and a Congress MLA in various districts of Imphal Valley. Security forces also thwarted an attempt to storm the ancestral residence of Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh. The violence erupted on Saturday night as an indefinite curfew was imposed following outrage over the killing of three women and three children by militants in Jiribam district. Among those targeted were PWD Minister Govindas Konthoujam, BJP MLAs Y. Radheshyam and Paonam Brojen, and Congress MLA Th. Lokeshwar.
Reacting to the escalating violence, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused the BJP of deliberately fueling unrest in Manipur to further divisive politics. He criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for failing to visit the state during its time of crisis, stating that the people would neither forgive nor forget the government’s inaction. Kharge remarked, “Under your double-engine governments, neither is Manipur united, nor is it safe.”
Meanwhile, the Manipur government has requested the Centre to review and withdraw the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) from areas under six police stations. A letter from the Joint Secretary (Home) highlighted the state cabinet’s decision on November 15 to recommend the act’s withdrawal, signaling a push for demilitarization and improved civilian governance in the troubled state.
