Attempt to rename Meetei Mayek wrong: MEELAL
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, August 22 2022: While stating that the idea of renaming the state's indigenous script, 'Meetei Mayek' is unreasonable and wrong, Meetei Erol Eyek Loihasillol Apunba Lup (MEELAL) has informed that it would be urging the government not to change the name.

Addressing a press meet held at its Kanglapat Road office here on Monday, secretary general in-charge of MEELAL Naorem Nong-mailembi Leima commented on words doing the round that Meetei Mayek should be called as Manipuri Script, with the assumption that calling it so would bring together all the different communities in the state and further assist in organising a grand blessing ceremony.

To MEELAL, however, the name of the state, 'Manipur' does not belong to any indigenous community or language of the state and is basically a borrowed foreign name.

Even now, attempts to change the name of the state have been unsuccessful, although there are many who want to call the state in our own language, she remarked.

Nongmailembi gave an example stating that the English script is called Roman script but is not taken as an international script or a universal script.

Hindi script is called Devanagri script.

Similarly, many have clear historical information about the origin of their respective scripts.

As such, Meetei Mayek and Meeteilon also deserve to have detailed information of their historical origins, she reasoned.

According to the notification issued by the state government on March 4 last year, The Manipur Language (Amendment Act, 2021 No 7 of 2021), Manipur language is stated as Meeteilon written in Meetei Mayek script, spoken by the majority of the population in the state.

Thus, elected representatives and experts should support MEELAL's demand for preserving the identity and history of Meeteilon and Meetei Mayek (script), she said, while appealing to all the different communities of the state to extend support in the promotion of Meeteilon and Meetei Mayek.

Nongmailembi further said that Meetei Mayek and Meeteilon belong to everyone in the state and are part of our common wealth, just like the culture, custom and traditions of every other community in the state.

Thus, she urged the authority concerned to take this into consideration and not change the name of Meetei Mayek.

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