"People should not do politics": UP Minister Sanjay Nishad on Manipur CM's apology

Ballia (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 1 (ANI): After Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh issued an apology for the ongoing crisis in the state, Uttar Pradesh Minister Sanjay Kumar Nishad on Wednesday urged people to refrain from politicizing the apology.
Nishad emphasized that Biren Singh's apology should be seen as a positive step, rather than a political issue.
"Janta Janardan hey...those do work, they at times make mistakes as well. When he realised it, he apologised. It should be considered as a good thing and people should not do politics on this..." Nishad said while speaking to ANI.
Sanjay Kumar Nishad's remarks came after, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Tuesday apologized for the ongoing crisis in the state and urged people to "forget the past" and work towards a peaceful and prosperous future.
Earlier today, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit demanded the resignation of Biren Singh, accusing him of failing to resolve the ongoing conflict in the state.
"We can understand if he tried to control the law and order situation in Manipur but 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," Dikshit said.
Reflecting on the crisis, the Manipur CM said, "This entire year has been very unfortunate. I feel regret and I want to say sorry to the people of the state for what is happening till today, since last May 3."
"Many people lost their loved ones. Many people left their homes. I feel regret. I would like to apologise," he added.
Singh further appealed to the various communities in the state to "forget past mistakes and start a new life".
"Now, I hope after seeing the last 3-4 months' progress towards peace, I hope that with the New Year 2025, normalcy and peace will be restored in the state. I want to appeal to all the communities of the state that whatever happened has happened. We now have to forget past mistakes and have to start a new life. A peaceful Manipur, a prosperous Manipur, we should all live together," he said.
The violence in Manipur between the Meitei and Kuki communities erupted after a rally by the All Tribal Students Union of Manipur (ATSUM) on May 3, 2023, against the Manipur High Court's directive to consider the inclusion of the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes list. (ANI)