Rongmei Youth urges CM to set up Rani Gaidinliu Tribal Museum at Longmai (Noney)
Source: IT News

Imphal, August 18 2020: Interim body of the Rongmei Naga Youth Organistion Manipur has urged the Chief Minister of Manipur to set up the Rani Gaidinliu Tribal Freedom Fighters Museum at Longmai (Noney) as the location is appropriate for setting up of such museum and the Rongmei Naga Youth organisation has already accepted to donate requisite land (10 Acre) for the purpose.

In a representation submitted to the Chief Minister the Rongmei Naga Youth body stated that Longmai (Noney) District Headquarter is strategically located on NH-37 and is only 60 kms away from Imphal.

The donated Museum site is located along the National Highway.

With the commissioning of Imphal - Tupul-Jiribam Railway line within few years from now, general public, visitors and tourists from Imphal and other places will be able to reach the Museum within 40 minutes.

Besides, the museum will become hot tourists destination in the state due to its pristine location with lust green hills, scenic landscapes and clear water rivers nearby for water sports and adventure tourism.

The donated site has very good water source and power supply.

The nearby Assam Riffle Camp located just 2 kms away provides a very safe and secure environment in the area.

Longmai (Noney) District Headquarter already has World's Tallest Girder Railway Bridge in Northeast India and has been attracting number of local tourists.

Besides, Longmai District Headquarter has potentials to be developed as major water sports and adventure tourist hub because of fresh water rivers (Aga, Ijei running through District Headquarter and in vicinity of the donated land for Museum.

Moreover, other places of tourists' interest in Longmai (Noney) and Tamenglong Districts such as Barak Waterfalls, Tharon Cave, Buning Meadow, Zeilad Lake, Khoupum (Natural Mountain Bridge), Kasuakbut Peak etc can further be developed and make as popular tourists' destination in the state.

Before the before the Museum site was properly assessed and finalized by the State Government under your guidance, the Minister of Tribal Affairs and Hills had reportedly laid the foundation stone, secretively, for building the Tribal Freedom Fighters Museum in the forest area of Makhel Village in September 2019 without even informing the government of India.

The Rongmei Naga Youth Organization objected to the site at Makhel on distance issue.

As per copies of documents/letters/meeting minutes readily available on the website of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India, the National Level Committee agreed to the proposal of the state Government to set up "Rani Gaidinliu Tribal Freedom Fighters Museum".

Such deliberate act of commission and omission by the Tribal Welfare Department of Manipur is against the spirit of communal harmony and national integration and an open insult to Rani Gaidinliu, prominent Freedom Fighter of India and her people.

The Rongmei Civil Societies, thus, have previously raise objection to the concerned Department for omitting Rani Gaidinliu while Tribal Freedom Fighters Museum foundation stone was laid as stated above.

"This Museum, originally, was proposed to be set up at the birth place of Jadonang at Puiluanh ( Kambiron) about 130 Kms aways from Imphal, Longmai Noney District, which is near to the birth place of Rani Gaidinliu.

However, the Ministry raised objection on the proposed site due to long distance from the state capital.

As such the Rongmei people , in honour of Rani Gaidinliu and other freedom fighters in the state, offered land at free of cost in Rongmei villages near Imphal ( Not more than 60 Kms away) connecting Longmai (Noney) district Head Quarter.

The Tribal Welfare Department turn a blind eye to the genuine offers made by the Rongmei people leading to ultimate stalemate and disagreement on the Museum location between the Rongmei people and state Tribal Welfare Department on one side and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India and Tribal Welfare Department on the other side, which is very unfortunate.

"The disagreement on Museum site at Makhel has led to the undue delay of setting up of Rani Gaidinliu Tribal Freedom Fighters Museum in Manipur.

It is now completing two years since the project was sanctioned in February 2019 and no tangible work has been done by the concerned Department despite clear instruction by the Government of India.

This has caused much embarrassment to the state Government due to the inept handling of the project by the concerned Department", the representation submitted to the CM said and added that to resolved the long drawn issue on Museum site and to set up the best Tribal Freedom Fighters Museum as per the guidelines of the Government of India; and as envisioned by the Prime Minister of India to honor the sacrifice and contribution of all Tribal Freedom Fighters in the state and to make the museum easy accessible to the visitors from outside the state and general public of Manipur, the undersigned donate requisite land (10 Acres) at Longmai (Noney) District Headquater (etc,etc or Rongmei Village along Tiddim road eg Siangai of Kangpokpi District, Thingpui in Ccpur.

District...this villages located along with the District Highway and are on the way to Moirang /Keibul Lamjao/Moirang INA Museum/ Sendra, Loktak lake, KeibulLamjao National Park, INA Memoral Museum at Moirang, Sadu Chiru Waterfalls, Phubala resort, Loukoipat Ecological Park at Bishnupur, Japanese Peace Museum at Maibam Lokpa Ching or Red Hills/ Lamdan Mountaineering) for setting up of Rani Gaidinliu Tribal Freedom Fighters' Museum in the large interest of our state and nation.

Land for future development and and expansion is available too.

As the offered/ donated land at Longmai is considered best suited place in every aspect for setting up State Museum, the undersigned pray that the Hon'ble Chief Minister Manipur will accept the offered/donated land at Longmai solely in the interest of the general public and larger interest of the nation and to fulfill the dream envisioned by Shri Narendra Modi Ji, the Prime Minister of India.

The Rongmei Naga Youth Organization, Manipur- Interim Body (RNYOM-RYIB) in its meeting resolved to apprise the Chief Minister of Manipur to reconsider the present site at Makhel and to accept the most appropriate site offered at Longmai (Noney) District.

Failing to comply and do necessary action as requested within 20 days of this publication, the undersigned Organization will impose indefinite bandh along the NH 37, All National Projects including the Railway Project Works, Road Connectivity etc and non Cooperation to the Government of Manipur in Longmai (Noney) and Tamenglong Districts.

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