DESAM accuses Govt of neglecting Meitei Mayek
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 29 2020:
Student body, DESAM has blamed the State Government for not paying proper attention to the Manipuri script or Meitei Mayek.
Speaking to media persons at their Kwakeithel office this afternoon, DESAM secretary general Leishangthem Lamyanba asserted that the State Government's failure to amend the more than 40 years old Manipur Official Language Act 1979 is an undeniable proof of neglecting Meitei Mayek.
Neglecting the indigenous alphabet is nothing but a challenge to the identity of indigenous people, Lamyanba said.
According to the Manipur Official Language Act 1979, 'Manipuri language' means Meiteilon written in Bengali script and spoken by the majority of Manipur population.
Meitei Mayek was introduced in schools in 2006. For the first time, Meitei Mayek figured in the HSLC Examination of 2015.Now Meitei Mayek is studied till the 6th semester of BA, Lamyanba pointed out.
He said that students of Meitei Mayek would not be able to choose MIL (Manipuri) as optional paper of competitive examinations conducted by UPSC and MPSC on account of the State Government's refusal to amend the Manipur Official Language Act 1979.This is a gross injustice to students of Manipuri subject written in Meitei Mayek.
Moreover, any application written in Manipuri (Meitei Mayek) and submitted to the Government is not accepted as an official document, said the DESAM functionary.
The Manipur Official Language Act 1979 should be amended and the 'Mani-puri language' should be re-defined as Meiteilon written in Meitei Mayek and spoken by the majority of Manipur population.
The State Cabinet should adopt a resolution in this regard, he demanded.
As a temporary arrangement, both Meitei Mayek and Bengali script may be accepted as official scripts of the State, he continued.
In case students who wish to choose MIL (Manipuri written in Meitei Mayek) as optional paper of competitive examinations conducted by MPSC and UPSC are denied this option as a result of neglecting Meitei Mayek by the State Government, it should bear full responsibility for all the consequences resulting from its negligence, Lamyanba said.