Rejecting any suggestion of stepping down from his post, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh has claimed that people are with him in his efforts to “protect” the State so there is no question of him resigning.

“Why should I resign? Have I stolen anything? Is there a scandal against me? Have I worked against the nation or State?” Singh asked in an interview to PTI Videos on Thursday. He made a strong defence of his record despite being panned by opposition parties for allegedly stoking violence and being accused by Kuki groups of favouring Meiteis in the ethnic clashes that broke out in May last year.