Expectedly, the Indian Parliament has adopted the Statutory Resolution confirming the imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur on February 13, 2025. The discussion surrounding the motion was along the predictable lines.
Notably, Manipur’s moment in parliament came in the dead of the night for third time as the Rajya Sabha took up the discussion on the statutory resolution on the proclamation of President’s Rule in Manipur at 2.37 am on April 4, 2025.
The discussion in the Lok Sabha the day before, April 3 was taken up at 2 am and lasted only 40 minutes, and the Lok Sabha approved it at 2.40 am on Thursday, April 3, 2025.
The first midnight moment was when Manipur MP Angomcha Bimol Akoijam spoke on July 2, 2024 last year against the ruling BJP-led NDA government for ignoring the strife-torn Manipur as the Manipur crisis failed to find a place in the President’s address to Parliament.
On Friday morning, the Rajya Sabha passed a Statutory Resolution on the proclamation of the President’s Rule in Manipur. At 2.36 am, after over 12 hours of discussion on The Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025, Union Home Minister Amit Shah moved the Statutory Resolution in the Rajya Sabha. It was approved by the House at 3.58 am on April 4 after a discussion participated by of 11 speakers, including Shah, who responded to the debate, according to reports.
While leader of opposition Mallikarjun Kharge requested the Vice President of India and Rajya Sabha Chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar to conduct the discussion in the morning, Dhankhar went ahead with the discussion.
According to Article 356, President’s Rule needs to be approved by both Houses of parliament within two months of its imposition. The ongoing Budget session of parliament is set to conclude on April 4. So, all about Manipur in Parliament was like a last minute business rushing for the last bus.
On Thursday evening, amid discussion of the Waqf Amendment bill 2025, the leader of the opposition in the House Mallikarjun Kharge requested the Chair to schedule the Manipur discussion for the following day as the Waqf Bill discussion would continue till late at night leaving little time for Manipur. The request was not heeded. The Chair informed the house that the matter was listed in the agenda for Thursday.
Later when other opposition leaders, also made a similar request, Shah responded, “Manipur is an important issue. Why don’t you work till late night for once tonight?”
Kharge, who started the discussion, questioned why Prime Minister Narendra Modi had not visited Manipur in the last two years. The senior Congress leader also asked the government to present a white paper on Manipur stating the facts of the ethnic clashes. “I demand an inquiry and a white paper to be presented in the House. Everybody will then know what is happening in the state….BJP has no plan in place to restore peace. They have allowed conflict to deepen.”
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Friday, April 4, 2025 that both the communities in Manipur should understand that dialogue is the only way forward and the Union Government is not in favour of continuing President’s Rule in the State even for a single day. The Home Minister asserted that it was a Manipur High Court order that triggered the violence in the State in May 2023. He further said that the interpretation of the order led to insecurities among the tribal community about losing reservation status and it became a “tribals versus non-tribal” issue.
“It is not a religious conflict, nor terrorism or a law and order failure. Of the 260 people killed in the ethnic violence so far, 70% killings took place in the first 15-days. When ethnic violence spreads, to control it within 15-days is difficult. Not the first time such violence has been reported in the State. Such incidents in the past have taken years to subside but the Bharatiya Janata Party never politicised the incidents. They (Opposition) are rubbing salt on the wounds of Manipur by politicising the issue,” the Home Minister said.
Amit Shah said that so far 13 meetings have taken place with both the communities and soon the final meeting involving both the communities will be held in Delhi.
“The resolution was brought late to the House because the meetings continued. Even when the (budget) session was on, two meetings took place and the third and final meeting soon with the two communities in Delhi will be held soon. I hope both communities will understand and take the route of dialogue,” Shah said.
The Manipur High Court on March 27, 2023 had directed the State government to submit its recommendation on the inclusion of Meiteis in the ST list asking to consider the proposal preferably within four weeks.
Trinamool Congress MP Derek O Brien spoke about violence in the state crimes against women and questioned the timing of moving the statutory resolution at 3 in the morning. “On the last day of the Parliament, you move the resolution. Why did you not bring it in the morning? What is Manipur’s fault? They are Indian citizens Look at the irony. Discussing Manipur in the dead of the night when there are no prime time or TV channels. Look at Manipur during the day. Look at Manipur in the eye and talk to Manipur. Night is sinister.” Brien said, adding that the PM should visit the state.
Trinamool Congress’ DerekO Brien said that in the last 22 months the Prime Minister has travelled around 3, 80, 000 kilometres but did not have the time to visit the State. “You are arrogant that you wont even acknowledge there is a problem,” the TMC member said.
According to reports, A A Rahim of the CPI (M) said a number of of religious places were attacked. “Where is our Prime Minister? He has not visited Manipur. Manipur is a continuation of Gujarat. It was a pre planned and calculated violence. Churches blown using gas cylinders. Government needs to share data regarding attack on Christians,” he said.
Kanimozhi NVN Somu, DMK said that President’s Rule is not a remedy and it is a direct assault on federalism. “What has PR achieved after 46 days? Have displaced people returned home?” she asked.
Earlier, in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, April 3, 2025, after Union Home Minister Amit Shah had moved the resolution, Speaker Om Prakash Birla called on the Congress’s Shashi Tharoor to start. A visibly bewildered Tharoor asked the Speaker whether he “genuinely wanted a discussion at this time”. “Let’s do it tomorrow morning,” he said.
But when the Speaker did not budge, Tharoor began speaking. “I must say that I am sorely tempted at this very late hour to say that better late than never, and just let the Bill pass. But I think some home truths must be told. We have all witnessed the horrors of Manipur, a slow-burning horror once the unrest began in May of 2023, and continued for 21 months before President’s Rule was actually declared.”
Talking about the casualties in the strife, the numbers displaced and the looted weapons and ammunition, he said that “those responsible for maintaining law and order have not done their job”. President’s Rule was only brought in by the Centre when it realised that the BJP Government led by Nongthombam Biren would not survive, Tharoor added. “… The real failure has been one of national security, of law and order maintenance, of basic decency for the people suffering the torment of violence.”
Calling the Manipur violence “a blot on the conscience of the nation”, Tharoor reiterated the Opposition’s criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not even visiting the state since the unrest began. “The biggest crisis we are facing today is erosion of public trust in the State of India, the state of Manipur and its institutions.”
Hoping that this “legitimacy… (would) be regained during this period of President’s Rule”, Tharoor acknowledged “the challenges of illegal immigration and drug trafficking” which the Biren government consistently said lay at the heart of the problem.
“(President’s Rule) has to be an opportunity to foster dialogue amongst communities, to promote economic development, to ensure accountability in governance and to respect constitutional values… And President’s Rule is a necessary but not sufficient condition. It has to be conducted responsibly by the Governor.”
Now, both houses of Parliament have passed the Statutory Resolution confirming the proclamation of President’s Rule in Manipur on February 13, 2025 in spite of all the charges and counter charges between the opposition and ruling, and the claims of the Government.
The imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur and the change of guard in Imphal with former Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla as the Governor was generally expected to address the issues the BJP government led by Biren couldn’t and didn’t do.
However, the Government has failed to ensure free movement on the National Highways thought the Union Home Minister on March 1 announced that free movement on all roads would be ensured from March 8 and actions will be taken against those obstructing it. Rather violence by Kuki-Zomi groups conquered the Highways even the Security Forces faced casualties and there was no report of taking actions against those violators of the rule of law.
Without opening of the National Highways and all roads to the Meiteis and disarming the Kuki-Zo militants whether under Suspension of Operation (SOO) agreement or non-SOO groups, by just receiving surrendered weapons from Arambai Tenggol (AT) and Village Defence Volunteers of Meitei villages will not make the environment for building lasting peace. The Government should have a long-term inclusive strategy that has a strong political component.
While the Government is trying to bring the State back to normalcy and the Indian Parliament has confirmed the proclamation of President’s Rule, Manipur continues to be in the throes of political and governance crisis.
Senior Editor: Imphal Review of Arts and Politics
