N. Biren Singh

Nongthombam Biren Singh (Meitei pronunciation: /nōng-thōm-bam bī-ren sīng/; born 1 January 1961)[3] is an Indian politician, former footballer and journalist who is currently serving as the 12th Chief Minister of Manipur since 2017 representing Heingang Assembly constituency in the Manipur Legislative Assembly since 2002 as a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He is the first incumbent Chief Minister who serves as the president of the Lainingthou Sanamahi Temple Board (LSTB), the temple development board of Lainingthou Sanamahi of the Sanamahi religion since 2021.[1][2]

"Biren Singh" redirects here. For other uses, see Biren Singh (disambiguation).
In this Meitei name, the family name is Nongthombam and the given name is Biren. "Singh" is a name suffix.

Nongthombam Biren Singh
Singh in 2017
12th Chief Minister of Manipur
Assumed office
15 March 2017
GovernorNajma Heptullah
La Ganesan
Anusuiya Uikey
Preceded byOkram Ibobi Singh
Member of Vidhan Sabha, Manipur
Assumed office
2002
Preceded byWakambam Thoiba Singh
ConstituencyHeingang
President of Lainingthou Sanamahi Temple Board
Assumed office
6 March 2021[1][2]
Personal details
Born (1961-01-01) 1 January 1961
Imphal, Manipur, India
Political party Bharatiya Janata Party (2017–present)
Other political
affiliations		National Democratic Alliance (2017–present)
Indian National Congress (2004–2016)
Democratic Revolutionary Peoples Party (2002–2004)
SpouseHiyainu Devi
Children3
Alma materManipur University
WebsiteOfficial website
Government website
Military service
Allegiance India
Branch/serviceBorder Security Force
Years of service1979–1993

N. Biren Singh was awarded Champions of Change in 2018 for his exceptional work to the nation. The award was conferred by the Vice-President of India Sri. Venkaiah Naidu at Vigyan Bhavan New Delhi.[4][5][6]

Turning to politics in 2002, Singh joined the Democratic Revolutionary Peoples Party and won the assembly elections from Heingang. He retained the seat in 2007 contesting with an Indian National Congress ticket after joining the party in 2003. Serving as the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, he quit the party in 2016 before joining the Bharatiya Janata Party. In 2017, he retained his seat from Heingang again and was named the Chief Minister after his party gained Coalition and formed the government.[7] In 2022 he once again retained his seat from Heingang. He has won the Heingang assembly constituency since 2002. Under Mr. Singh’s leadership that the BJP not only increased its seat share in the Manipur Assembly, from 21 (in 2017) to 32 (in 2022), but had also managed to weather several storms while running a minority government in the last five years.[8]

Early career

He began his career as a footballer and got recruited in the Border Security Force (BSF) playing for its team in domestic competitions. He resigned from the BSF and turned to journalism. Despite having had no formal training and experience, he began the vernacular daily Naharolgi Thoudang in 1992 and worked as the editor till 2001.[3]

Political career

Democratic Revolutionary Peoples Party

In 2002, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Manipur, as the Democratic Revolutionary Peoples Party (DRPP) candidate in the constituency Heingang.

Indian National Congress

He later joined the Indian National Congress.[9] He was appointed Minister of State of Vigilance in the Manipur state government in May 2003.[10]

In 2007 he retained his Assembly seat, contesting on behalf of the Indian National Congress.[11] He was later appointed the Minister of Irrigation & Flood Control and Youth Affairs & Sports in the State Government. In 2012 he again retained his Assembly seat for the third consecutive term.

In September 2015, Biren stated that the recently passed bill in the Manipur Legislative Assembly to protect indigenous peoples would not harm any community in the state.[12]

In October 2016, Biren resigned from the Manipur Legislative Assembly and the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee, this came after revolt against Okram Ibobi Singh, the then Chief Minister of Manipur.[13][14][15][16]

Bharatiya Janata Party

Singh formally joined the BJP on 17 October 2016 and later became the Spokesperson and Co-convener of the Election Management Committee of BJP Manipur Pradesh. He won the 2017 Manipur Legislative Assembly Election from Heingang Assembly Constituency.

Chief Minister of Manipur

In March 2017, he was elected as leader of the BJP Legislature Party in Manipur and with a majority of MLAs having been presented to the Governor, he was sworn in as Chief Minister of Manipur on 15 March 2017.[17] He is the first-ever BJP Chief Minister in Manipur.

In January 2018, he laid the foundation stone for the new academic building of Manipur Public School. The project is undertaken by Manipur Minorities and OBC Economic Development Society (MOBEDS). The cost of the project is estimated to be Rs 10.80 crore under the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs and will include new classrooms, headmaster's room, common rooms, library, laboratories, toilets, and separate hostels for boys and girls.[18][19]

On April 20, 2018, Singh launched the First State-Level Ginger Festival[20] at Parbung in Pherzawl District. The festival will remain one of Singh's legacies in the promotion of agriculture in the hill district which is one of the most backward in the state. Farmers have reported that since 2018 they are able to sell their organic ginger throughout the year.

During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic in India, Manipur became the third State to declare itself coronavirus free after the two patients who had tested positive successfully recovered from the virus.[21][22]

On 17 June 2020, 9 MLAs supporting the N. Biren Singh led government in Manipur revolted against him and withdrew support from his government blaming him for lack of action during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the vote of confidence, he was one of the eight MLAs who had skipped the assembly proceedings defying the party whip for the trust vote. All members resigned from Indian National Congress and later joined Bharatiya Janata Party in presence of Ram Madhav, Baijayant Panda and Chief Minister of Manipur Biren Singh.[23][24][25][26]

Controversies

During the 2022 Manipur Election, the Manipur Congress spokesperson Devabrata Singh said that "Biren Singh is acting like a dictator. All his critics have been sidelined."[27]

N Biren Singh as the Chief Minister of Manipur has been facing allegations of pushing an anti-tribal agenda[28] since he came to power in 2017 and was re-elected by the Meitei majority in 2022.[29] Among other things, he is accused of expelling tribes from their villages, demolishing decades-old churches in the capital (Imphal), and classifying a majority of tribal settlements as reserved forests, which deems the indigenous inhabitants as illegal immigrants.[30] Tribal legislators of Manipur have claimed that the Biren Singh led state administration has "polarised" Manipur communities over the last few years, the flashpoint being the recent eviction of villagers from reserve forest land in Churachandpur district.[31]

Journalist Kishorechandra Wangkhem was arrested on charges of sedition in November 21, 2018 for calling the state's BJP Chief Minister, N Biren Singh, a puppet of the central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.[32]

Paolienlal Haokip, a BJP MLA of Biren's own party has said “It’s the best example of inept handling of everything.” when asked about the state government's handling of the 2023 Manipur violence. Haokip accuses Biren of being "anti-kuki" and says that he has lost faith in Biren Singh as Chief Minister.

See also

References
  1. "CM takes over as Sanamahi Temple president". www.thesangaiexpress.com. Retrieved 7 February 2023. For the first time in the history of Manipur, the incumbent Chief Minister was sworn in as the president of Lainingthou Sanamahi Temple Board (LSTB)...
  2. Gurumayum, William. "Chief Minister N. Biren Singh takes oath as President of the Lainingthou Sanamahi Temple Board - Imphal Times". www.imphaltimes.com. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  3. "SHRI NONGTHOMBAM BIREN". manipurassembly.nic.in. Archived from the original on 14 May 2017. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  4. "Manipur CM Biren Singh gets 'Champions of Change' award.He is also known as Mr. Banned of Manipur for banning to much internet in Manipur". The New Indian Express.
  5. "VP Naidu confers 'Champions of Change' award to Manipur CM - Times of India". The Times of India.
  6. "Manipur CM Conferred Champions of Change 2018 Award » Northeast Today". Northeast Today. 27 December 2018.
  7. Singh, Bikash (15 March 2017). "Biren Singh: From BSF barracks to Manipur's Chief Minister". The Economic Times. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  8. "A default choice — On return of Biren Singh as Manipur CM". The Hindu. 22 March 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  9. "Statistical Report on General Election, 2002 to the Legislative Assembly of Manipur" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 May 2005. Retrieved 5 April 2008.
  10. "The Telegraph - North East". www.telegraphindia.com. Archived from the original on 11 September 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  11. Election Commission of India: Statistical Report, 2007 Manipur Legislative Assembly election
  12. "Govt Bills will not harm the interest of any community in India: MLA Biren: 14th sep15 ~ E-Pao! Headlines". e-pao.net. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  13. Congress starts rapprochement to bring back Nongthombam Biren
  14. "Biren to join us on Oct 15: Sarma - Times of India". The Times of India. 8 October 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  15. "Senior Manipur Congress Leader Biren Singh Resigns from Party » Northeast Today". northeasttoday.in. 6 October 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  16. "Manipur senior Cong leader Biren quits". Deccan Herald. 7 October 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  17. "BJP names N Biren Singh as chief minister candidate for Manipur". 13 March 2017.
  18. "Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh lays the foundation stone for the new academic building of Manipur Public School". Archived from the original on 23 January 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
  19. "Manipur CM Conferred Champions of Change 2018 Award » Northeast Today". Northeast Today. 27 December 2018.
  20. "First ginger festival launched". www.ifp.co.in. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  21. "Prohibitory orders issued in Bengaluru to enforce lockdown".
  22. "Manipur is now a coronavirus free state: CM Biren Singh". 20 April 2020.
  23. "Manipur CM Arrives in Delhi, to Induct Seven Congress Leaders Into BJP". The Wire. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  24. "'Extend my warmest welcome', says Manipur CM after former Congress MLAs join BJP". Hindustan Times. 19 August 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  25. "5 Manipur MLAs who resigned from Cong join BJP in Delhi". India Today. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  26. "Five former Manipur Congress MLAs join BJP in New Delhi". Northeast Now. 19 August 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  27. vipin.vijayan. "Manipur Election 2022 Exclusive: 'Biren Singh acts like a dictator; loyalty test key for Congress'". Asianet News Network Pvt Ltd. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  28. "Attempt to criminalise tribal movement, ATSUM reacts to CM : 18th aug22 ~ E-Pao! Headlines". e-pao.net. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  29. Standard, Business (21 March 2022). "Biren Singh sworn-in as Manipur chief minister for 2nd term". www.business-standard.com. Retrieved 7 May 2023. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  30. Goswami, Madhusree (3 May 2023). "'CM Biren Singh Pushing Anti-Tribal Agenda': Why Is Manipur on the Boil?". TheQuint. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  31. "Manipur flashpoint: Why Kuki-Paitei tribes are opposed to CM". The Indian Express. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  32. Standard, Business (19 December 2018). "Journalist held for criticising Manipur CM as PM Narendra Modi's puppet". www.business-standard.com. Retrieved 7 May 2023. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
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