Former Manipur Chief Minister N Biren said present hardships are the result of past mistakes and stressed protecting future generations through corrective measures.
Imphal, May 24: Former Manipur Chief Minister and Heingang MLA Nongthombam Biren Singh on Saturday said the hardships currently faced by the people were the result of mistakes committed in the past, but maintained that corrective measures initiated during his tenure were aimed at safeguarding future generations.
He was speaking at the inauguration and public handover of the Unity Hall constructed under the MP Local Area Development Fund and MLA Local Area Development Fund at Laipham Khunou Maning Leikai in Imphal East district.
Addressing the gathering as chief guest, Biren said efforts taken during his tenure to tackle illegal influx had initially lacked collective support and understanding. According to him, if people had shown patience and understood the ground realities at that time, “around 50 per cent” of the ongoing conflict could have been resolved without violence or loss of lives.
He also stated that illegal immigrants who were facing possible deportation had left on their own after the BJP secured victories in Assam and West Bengal elections. Every issue, he said, could be resolved politically.
The former Chief Minister said politics must be examined carefully and not merely for temporary gains or positions. He warned that decisions taken without considering long-term consequences would affect future generations.
Referring to environmental concerns, Biren said rivers were drying up, floods were increasing during the rainy season, and forests had been cleared for poppy cultivation. He said his government had attempted to address these challenges and protect the state from their long-term impact.
Speaking on border security and illegal influx, Biren said the present situation was linked to the absence of preventive measures in earlier decades. He pointed out that despite Manipur sharing a 378-km-long border with Myanmar, fencing had not been constructed for many years.
According to him, if border fencing had been completed 30 or 40 years ago and regulations relating to the Free Movement Regime (FMR) had been implemented earlier, many of the present-day issues could have been avoided.
“The mistakes committed in the past are falling upon our shoulders today,” he said.
Biren also referred to recent initiatives by the Centre to address illegal infiltration along the Bangladesh border. He said the Union Home Minister had convened meetings with the Chief Ministers of Assam, West Bengal and Tripura on the issue, and asserted that Manipur should also be included in such discussions as it faces similar concerns along the Myanmar border.
The BJP leader further claimed that several corrective steps initiated during his tenure were intended to ensure that future generations do not face the same hardships, even if the present generation had to endure difficulties during the transition period.
He said sensible people understood and supported such measures, while others criticised them without understanding the larger objective. However, he added that people were now beginning to see visible outcomes, including the ongoing border fencing work.
According to Biren, around 40 to 50 km of border fencing has already been completed, and the remaining work, if finished within the next few years, would significantly help in checking illegal influx.
Appealing to parents and elders, he also urged society to collectively guide the youth towards education and constructive activities, and work towards building a society free from substance abuse and other social vices.
