Imphal: Former Manipur Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Okram Ibobi Singh on Sunday strongly condemned the arson incident at Kanto Sabal in Imphal West district, alleging that the state government was functioning under the “remote control” of the Central government.

Addressing a press conference at Congress Bhavan in Imphal, Ibobi described the burning of at least five houses at Kanto Sabal as a serious security lapse, pointing out that the locality is situated close to the 57 Mountain Division and remains under heavy security deployment.

Calling the incident “deeply unfortunate”, the former Chief Minister said the recurrence of violence despite the presence of security forces had raised serious questions about the government’s handling of the prolonged ethnic conflict in the state.

He questioned how such an incident could take place in a heavily guarded area and alleged that the continuing unrest reflected a failure to restore law and order. Ibobi also criticised the functioning of the state administration, claiming it lacked independent authority and was being run under the direction of the Centre.

The Congress leader urged the authorities to take effective measures to prevent further violence, ensure the safety of civilians and restore public confidence. He also called for accountability and stronger efforts to bring lasting peace and normalcy to Manipur, which has witnessed recurring ethnic violence over the past several months.