Ex Manipur CM Biren backs Himanta Biswa Sarma’s stand on forest encroachment

Former Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Wednesday extended support to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for his firm stand against illegal encroachments on forest land. 

Singh lauded Sarma’s efforts in evicting settlers who were allegedly helped by certain government officials, while drawing parallels to a similar issue that had plagued Manipur for decades.

Taking to social media, Singh wrote, “Hon’ble Assam Chief Minister, Shri @himantabiswaji, has exposed a significant issue involving a senior forest officer, who allegedly enabled settlements by Bangladeshi illegal immigrants leading to the encroachment of over 5,000 acres of forest land.”

His remarks followed Sarma’s press conference in Guwahati on Tuesday, where the Assam CM revealed that a former forest officer had aided illegal settlers and was now representing them legally after their eviction. Sarma had said that despite pressure, his government remained determined to safeguard Assam’s forests, identity, and culture.

Endorsing Sarma’s efforts, Singh said, “Despite strong opposition to the eviction drives, Assam CM stayed firm in protecting the state’s interests. Manipur faced the exact same issue.”

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The former CM cited specific examples of how Manipur’s forest and administrative officials had facilitated illegal settlements over the years. He noted that in 1988, 31 villages were illegally recognised within protected forest land in Churachandpur by a Sub-Deputy Collector (SDC). Later in 2008, five more villages were similarly recognised in Moreh under the Small Town Committee by Commissioner PC Lawmkunga. The entire Small Town Committee was eventually dissolved.

Singh pointed out that such actions violated rules which empower only the Revenue Department to create or alter districts, subdivisions, tehsils, or villages. He blamed the Forest Department and local-level officers for abusing their power, stating, “These illegal and misuse of power sowed the seeds of the crisis in Manipur.”

The ethnic strife that erupted in Manipur in May 2023 between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities has so far claimed at least 260 lives and displaced thousands. Singh’s government had launched eviction drives in 2022 and 2023 across hill and valley districts to remove encroachments from reserve forest land and government properties, which triggered strong opposition from sections of the tribal population.

By aligning himself with Sarma, Singh underscored the gravity of illegal encroachments and the need for strict enforcement to prevent long-term socio-political instability.