UMO calls for peaceful settlement of dispute
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 19 2014 :
Universal Mother's Organisation (UMO) has urged all concerned to resolve the issue of demolition of Heingang Hannaba hill shrine through peaceful negotiation instead of resorting to a verbal war on the media.
Speaking at a press conference held at Manipur Press Club, UMO president Soraisam Shanti said that being an organisation of mothers, UMO is committed to bring a solution to the standoff.
She said that UMO takes people of every community and religion as their children.
Pointing out that shrines came into existence ever since human civilization started, Shanti said that nobody has the right to handover/gift or destroy any shrine at their behest.
Moreover, former Heingang AC MLA Jagor had already clarified on the media that he had never handed over the ownership right of the area to any community, Shanti said.
She said that as in past years, people of Kairang Muslim locality were invited to be present at the 'cheng hongba' ceremony of Ibudhou Pakhangba shrine located at Heingang Hannaba hill.
However, instead of taking part in the ceremony, a group of people from the locality stormed at the shrine with sticks and weapons and demolished the temple, Shanti alleged.
One person among the group members was even injured in hand in the course of demolishing the temple, she claimed.
As such, instead of resorting to a verbal war, resolving the issue through peaceful negotiation would be the best idea to sustain harmony, she added.