New Delhi: Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi a day ago, on July 28, was the first time the two have met since ethnic violence broke out in the state in May last year.The meeting was also attended by Union home minister Amit Shah and defence minister Rajnath Singh, The Hindu has reported.Singh met PM Modi earlier that weekend during two group meetings of the NITI Aayog and that of the heads of government of all BJP-ruled states.It is unclear what Modi, Shah, Rajnath and Biren discussed. The Hindu has quoted a source as having said that the meeting ended on a positive note.However, how positive a note it ended on is a matter of speculation as the Union government, has decided to replace the Manipur governor.Speculation is rife within a considerable section of the Manipur BJP and the local media since last evening that the prime minister, along with home minister Shah, has conveyed to CM Biren that he might have to go – along with governor Anusuiya Uikey.Governor Uikey’s removal from the Raj Bhawan in Imphal just after a year of her appointment to the post is significant considering she has been raising her voice against the deplorable conditions of the relief camps. Additionally, she also met Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi during his recent visit to the violence-hit state. Gandhi and his party, Congress, have been hitting out at the BJP and PM Modi both inside and outside the Parliament for not even paying a visit to the state. Large-scale ethnic violence has led to several deaths, sexual assaults, thousands of people taking shelter in relief camps for over a year now and the state virtually split into two on ethnic lines.Manipur media was quick to point out that the chief minister – after getting an audience with the prime minister who is a senior leader of his own party after over a year’s wait – did not even publish a photograph with him on social media platforms like X and Facebook. The Imphal Free Press highlighted the point before adding that Singh, however, posted photos of meeting party national president J.P. Nadda and senior leader B.L. Santosh in New Delhi.“According to various media reports, the chief minister who attended the two programmes that were chaired by PM Modi had, however, failed to meet the prime minister. Before he departed for New Delhi, CM Biren (had) told (local) media that he will take the advantage of addressing the prevailing situation of Manipur. He also said he will request an immediate solution to the present crisis,” said the news report.
