Moidangpok villagers refute
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 24 2015:
Some houses built on the hill slope of Moidangpok in Imphal West district as extension of a nearby Kuki village were destroyed by Moidangpok villagers who went to meet the villagers today.
A brawl also occurred when the 'encroaching' villagers refused the request to talk things over.
Speaking to reporters at Moidangpok, secretary of Keithelmanbi Development Association, Yengkhom Kunjeshwar said that the hill slope of Moidangpok which the villagers used for cultivation of vegetables was first occupied by a single refugee household a few years back.
The number of houses increased to three and later signboard of the village, 'Lalhoiphai' was put up, he said.
Kunjeshwar also strongly condemned the statement of Minister Ngamthang who recently said that Lalhoiphai village existed since a decade back and accused the Moidangpok villagers of erecting fencing.
He said that the Minister's statement was in the interest of a single community for his political gain.
The secretary further said that the village chief of Lalhoiphai is none other than a political worker of the Minister, Holkhopao, who hails from Churachandpur.
He added that the existence of a Kuki village on the hill slope was not known before even a year.
He also stressed the need to enact the Manipur Land Revenue Act in order to prevent such land dispute.