Imphal, April 26: Former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh has accused vested interest groups of disrupting efforts to identify illegal immigrants in the state, claiming that the process was already underway before being weakened at a crucial stage.
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| Former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh. (File Photo) |
In a Facebook post, Singh said the Government of India had taken the issue seriously and had directed authorities to collect biometric and biographic data of suspected illegal immigrants. He noted that the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a directive on September 28, 2023, which was later extended until March 31, 2024 to ensure proper verification and deportation.
Highlighting progress made during the process, Singh said authorities had already detected thousands of suspected illegal immigrants in different districts. According to him, around 5,457 illegal immigrants were identified in Kamjong district, while a Cabinet Sub-Committee detected about 2,480 individuals across Tengnoupal, Chandel, Churachandpur and Kamjong districts.
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He also referred to an earlier incident on June 28, 2022, when Churachandpur Police detained 80 Myanmar nationals, including 20 children.
Singh alleged that instead of supporting efforts to address the issue, certain groups used the situation to create instability, which weakened the process at a critical time. He added that the issue of illegal immigration is larger than politics and concerns the identity, security and future of Manipur.
The former chief minister called for unity and urged people to support measures aimed at identifying and addressing illegal immigration in the state.
