Guwahati: Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh has accused the Congress had earlier rejected the state's demand for an Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Parliament.

Singh claimed that the Congress-led UPA government had not only delayed but also outright rejected the demand, showing no empathy towards Manipur's aspirations and identity.

Singh highlighted that on September 4, 2012, Thokchom Meinya had raised the issue of ILP for Manipur in Parliament, but the then Minister of State for Home Affairs, Mullappally Ramachandran, had rejected the demand, citing that the Inner Line Permit System was only applicable to Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland.

The Chief Minister accused Congress of ignoring Manipuris' demands, neglecting the indigenous population, and appeasing illegal immigrants. He also referred to the state's forced merger with India in 1949 and its delayed statehood in 1972, alleging that Congress had treated Manipur with disrespect.

In contrast, Singh praised the BJP government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for granting the ILP in 2019, providing a constitutional safeguard that had been denied for years.