Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit on Wednesday called for the resignation of Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh, accusing him of failing to address the ongoing unrest in the northeastern state.

“We can understand if he tried to control the law and order situation in Manipur, but he couldn’t resolve the conflict. But when a CM is found aggravating a conflict between two communities and taking sides, then it’s unforgivable. If he truly thinks what he did was wrong, then he should resign,” Sandeep Dikshit told news agency ANI.

Dikshit’s remarks followed Biren Singh’s apology on Tuesday for the ongoing crisis in the state, where he urged people to “forget the past” and work towards a peaceful and prosperous future.

Earlier, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, questioning why he has not addressed the Manipur issue yet.

“It took 19 months for the CM to apologise, but it is not enough. The real issue is not what the CM says, it’s why the PM has remained silent for 19 months. Despite traveling across the country, he has not visited Manipur or reached out to its communities,” ANI quoted Ramesh as saying.

Reflecting on the crisis, Singh had expressed regret over the situation, saying, “This entire year has been very unfortunate. I apologize to the people of Manipur for the events since May 3.” He acknowledged the loss of lives and displacement, adding, “I truly regret it and want to say sorry.”

He expressed hope for peace in the new year, saying, “After seeing progress in the last 3-4 months, I hope normalcy will return by 2025. We must all work together for a peaceful and prosperous Manipur.”

The violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur began on May 3, 2023, after a rally by the All Tribal Students Union of Manipur (ATSUM) opposing the Manipur High Court’s recommendation to include the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes list.