News Reporter
Manipur government calls the tapes "doctored," warns against spreading unverified information.
In a significant political escalation, 10 Kuki-Zomi-Hmar legislators from Manipur have urged for immediate action against Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, following allegations of his involvement in ethnic persecution, as purportedly revealed in the controversial "Manipur Tapes."
The legislators demanded that Chief Minister N. Biren Singh be prosecuted if found guilty in connection with the contents of the leaked audio, now dubbed the "Manipur Tapes." The tapes allegedly expose his role in fueling ethnic tensions and violence in the region.
In response, the Manipur government refuted these claims on August 20, asserting that the audio clip was "doctored" and intended to incite communal unrest and disrupt the ongoing peace process. The government issued a stern warning to the public, urging them not to believe in unverified content circulating on social media and in certain news reports. The authorities further cautioned that anyone found spreading such false information would face legal action under relevant laws.
The legislators, however, have insisted that CM Biren Singh be removed from office to ensure a fair investigation. They claim that the tapes provide irrefutable evidence of the Chief Minister’s complicity in state-sponsored ethnic cleansing. According to the MLAs, the tapes reveal Biren Singh openly admitting to his role in persecuting the tribal Kuki-Zo community, including reassurances to his militia to resist central agency actions, and suggestions to delay their responses to summons to allow him time to intervene.
Additionally, the tapes allegedly capture the Union Home Minister reprimanding the Chief Minister for authorizing the use of bombs on civilians. Despite the reprimand, Biren Singh reportedly instructed police officials to continue using bombs covertly, defying the Union Home Minister’s orders.
The legislators also claimed that Biren Singh confessed to ensuring no arrests were made in connection with the looting of thousands of arms and ammunition from state forces. They noted that while the CM acknowledged the Kuki community's right to criticize him due to the deaths of approximately 300 people, he cautioned the Meitei community to refrain from doing so.
The authenticity of the tapes was further confirmed, according to the legislators, by Rajendro Nong, the brother of CM Biren Singh, who reportedly threatened those responsible for leaking the tapes on social media.
The Kuki-Zomi-Hmar MLAs concluded their statement by reiterating their call for the creation of a separate administrative unit with legislative powers, arguing that this is the only path to lasting peace in the region.