Former Manipur CM Biren Singh criticized Assam Rifles’ biometric drive, interpreting the documentation of 42,000 Myanmar crossers as “illegal” infiltration—prompting a fierce rebuttal from the force.
BY PC Bureau
August 21, 2025: A political row has erupted after former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh appeared to misinterpret comments by Assam Rifles Director General Lt. Gen. Vikash Lakhera on the entry of Myanmar nationals into India.
The DG recently disclosed that around 42,000 people from Myanmar have crossed into India since December last year. He explained that their credentials, including biometric data, were duly recorded under the protocol introduced after the Free Movement Regime (FMR) was scrapped.
Biren Singh, however, portrayed these entrants as “illegal,” thanking the Assam Rifles for “confirming that biometrics are being collected from ‘illegal’ entrants” along the Indo-Myanmar border. In a post on X, Singh called this an “undeniable truth” proving that the influx of outsiders was “real and ongoing,” while also claiming it was “reassuring” that the individuals were being closely monitored.
READ: Tribal Bodies Up in Arms in Assam Over Land and Identity
Sources within the Assam Rifles countered this interpretation, stressing that communities on both sides of the border share close family ties and have traditionally moved between Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, and Manipur. They added that many of the recent arrivals were fleeing Myanmar’s civil war, with most sheltering in Mizoram.
“AROUND 42,000 OUTSIDERS ENTERED MANIPUR SINCE DECEMBER 2024: ASSAM RIFLES DG LIEUTENANT GENERAL VIKAS LAKHERA”
I thank Lt Gen Shri Vikas Lakhera, AVSM, SM, DG Assam Rifles, for confirming that biometrics are being collected from illegal entrants crossing the Indo Myanmar… pic.twitter.com/krLQ2YiYKO
— N. Biren Singh (@NBirenSingh) August 20, 2025
“It’s wrong to claim that all of those coming to the Northeast from Myanmar are illegal immigrants,” an Assam Rifles official said. “If we are recording their biometrics and documents under protocol, they cannot be considered illegal entrants.”
Government records show Mizoram is currently hosting around 33,000 refugees from Myanmar, with another 6,000 arriving in July 2025.
The DG’s remark has also been challenged by Benjamin Mate, chairman of the Kuki Organisation for Human Rights (KOHUR), who argued it could be misread as if all 42,000 had entered Manipur alone. He demanded a white paper and warned that if the DG’s statement proved inaccurate, he would be held accountable for “propagating the agenda of radical Meitei armed militias.”
I request that the @official_dgar (DGAR) issue a white paper regarding his statement that 42000 Myanmar citizens have entered Manipur. If his statement is found to be inaccurate, he will be held accountable for propagating the agenda of the radical Meitei armed militias.… https://t.co/1ZcIwPauEI
— H S Benjamin Mate (@BenjaminMate1) August 20, 2025
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Biren Singh’s post has drawn mixed reactions online. Tribal users accused him of distorting facts, while Meitei accounts reignited concerns about migration.
One tribal user wrote:
“How can they be illegal if you have all their biometrics and details recorded across agencies? And it’s the @official_dgar who let them in. Can’t use this for your illegal narratives.”
By contrast, a Meitei user argued:
“Why are we admitting so many illegals into our country? Shouldn’t they be turned back? Just as we cannot stay in another country without permission, they shouldn’t either. Why are we being a Dharamshala when we cannot look after our own people?”
POST FMR-Revocation protocol:
Last year, India rolled out a new Post-Free Movement Regime (FMR) protocol for residents of Myanmar living within 10 km of the Indo-Myanmar border, seeking to strike a balance between security concerns and humanitarian needs.
The earlier visa-free movement arrangement, which allowed cross-border entry without documentation, was revised in December 2024. Under the new framework, a Myanmar resident wishing to enter India must first secure a certificate from his or her village administration confirming residence within the 10-km border belt.
Once the certification is verified, the individual is required to submit biometrics at the entry point. A border pass is then issued for the number of days the visitor intends to stay.
“The biometrics are fed into our database, which is accessible to the local police. With this system, we can track anyone engaging in unlawful activity or overstaying, and initiate suitable action,” a source explained.
Officials note that most cross-border movement is driven by family ties or the search for basic goods such as salt and groceries, which are readily available on the Indian side.
“A humanitarian approach had to be taken, rather than scrapping the FMR altogether,” a senior official said, adding that the new system ensures both controlled entry and cultural continuity for tribal communities straddling the border.
