Writings and speeches of Radhabinod Koijam released
Biren reposes faith in Shah to work out resolution
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 12 2024: Understanding the cause of the present crisis, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will soon take up action to bring about a solution, claimed Chief Minister N Biren Singh today.

The Chief Minister was speaking at a book release function held at the auditorium of JN Manipur Dance Academy, Imphal when he made the statement.

Chief Minister N Biren Singh released a book titled "Writings & speeches of Radhabinod Koijam, An Anthology" .

The book is compiled and edited by L Memo Singh.

Speaking as the chief guest of the event, N Biren dwelt on the present Manipur crisis and asserted that the Union Minister understands and knows the actual cause of the present turmoil.

Writings and speeches of Radhabinod Koijam released

Earlier, there was confusion, tension and anxiety that the Centre may lack knowledge about the actual cause of the crisis.

But, this confusion was cleared when "I met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi recently," said the Chief Minister.

The Chief Minister met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on February 3 .

After the meeting, N Biren Singh had stated that the Government of India was set to take some "important decisions" in the interests of the people of Manipur.

"I met and talked to the Union Home Minister for over one hour.

He had a clear understanding of the cause of the crisis," N Biren said. The Chief Minister continued that the Centre has started implementing the promises Amit Shah made during the meeting.

N Biren said the Centre has taken steps to fence the Manipur-Myanmar border, end the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and streamline the ways security forces are guarding the border.

"The Centre has started implementing the promises the Union Home Minister made.

Understanding the cause of the conflict, the Centre has taken up a series of steps for the good of the State and bring about a solution soon," N Biren said.

The Chief Minister, however, asserted that the solution must never compromise or harm the interests of the Meitei community and break the State.

N Biren said a politician and a leader should be farsighted and willing to act to avoid any crisis in the future.

Between 2006 and 2018, around 1,400 new villages mushroomed in three hill districts.

This can be seen on google map and with satellite mapping.

If the politicians that time had taken appropriate steps, then the present problem would not have erupted, said the Chief Minister.

When Manipur was infested with the problem of insurgency, former Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam declared a unilateral ceasefire to bring peace.

He is a good politician and a leader, he said.

Stating that the politicians of the present day have a lot to learn from Radhabinod Koijam, the Chief Minister said the construction of the Jiribam-Imphal railway line has the contribution of the former Chief Minister.

Radhabinod Koijam wrote a letter to the then Union Railways Minister Nitish Kumar in 2002 to change the route of the railway line from Diphu-Karong to Jiribam-Imphal, N Biren said.

Speaking on the occasion, former Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam said the book ""Writings & speeches of Radhabinod Koijam, An Anthology" is a collection of his speeches, writings published in National and local newspapers and other publications.

On the Manipur crisis, the former Chief Minister identified the influx of illegal immigrants as one of the causes of the present turmoil and said that the present crisis is "worse than the 7-years devastation" .

He said the Meiteis should "wake up" and "unite under a leadership" .

"After the violence broke out on May 3, in the month of June, people from the intelligence of the Government of India came to me for my opinion about giving Kukis' demand to remove N Biren Singh as Chief Minister to subside and ease the tension.

"I rejected the idea and told them that removing N Biren Singh and changing the Chief Minister would mean defeating and subduing the Meiteis," Radhabinod Koijam said.

He opined that the Meiteis should support N Biren Singh to face the present challenges.

"The present Chief Minister is a leader of the Meiteis.

It is war time.

People should unite and support Chief Minister N Biren Singh as the leader to face the challenges," the former CM said.

He further shared that Churachandpur, the hotspot of the turmoil, was specified as a valley area in the State Gazette in 1963 .

"On May 10, 1963, then Manipur's Chief Secretary RV Saxena published a Gazette specifying the areas under the valley and hills.

The Gazette specified Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Bishnupur and Churachandpur as valley areas," he said.

Retired IAS Kangjam Radhakumar Singh presented a critical appraisal on the book.

Manipur University VC Prof Dr N Lokendra Singh, JNMDA Director Pukhrambam Bilash Singh, editor of the book L Memo Singh attended the event.