GUWAHATI: Manipur Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh apologised to the people of the State for the loss of hundreds of lives during the last 20 months of ethnic violence on Tuesday and expressed "sorry and regret" for the unfortunate developments in the state due to the ethnic violence that started in May last year.

On New Year’s Eve, he expressed the hope that 2025 would usher in a reign of peace and normalcy in Manipur. "I want to say sorry to the people of the State for what happened since May 3 last year [2023]. Many people lost their loved ones, many left their homes. I really feel regret and would like to apologise to all natives,” he told journalists in the State’s capital Imphal on December 31, 2024.

Manipur has 34 to 35 different communities, he said adding “We would live together after forgiving what already happened. "I appeal to all the communities to live together and to make Manipur prosperous with a united effort," the Chief Minister said. Further giving details of incidents of violence over the past 20 months, the Chief Minister said that so far around 200 people have been killed, around 12,247 FIRs were registered and 625 accused persons were arrested.

The Congress party however on Friday slammed Biren Singh for the ongoing violence in the state and said that an apology from the chief minister is not enough. Manipur Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Okram Ibobi Singh further said, "This is too late an apology and many people criticise him. Apology is not enough". 

Responding to Congress, Biren Singh accused the Congress of having created the ethnic conflict in the State between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities and further clarified that his apology to the people of the State on New Year’s Eve was only meant for the victims of the conflict, and not the “terrorists” responsible for it.