AMMOCOC warms up for international convention
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 21 2019:
A Pre Convention Colloquium of International Meitei Pangal Convention, organised by All Manipur Muslim Organisations' Co-ordinating Committee (AMMOCOC), was held at City Convention Centre Imphal today.
The main event will take place tomorrow in the presence of Chief Minister N Biren Singh and Titular King Leishemba Sanajaoba.
Many delegates from Assam and 16 from Bangladesh are attending the convention.
Delegation from Tripura have not arrived due to the prevailing law and order situation in the State following the violent protests against the Citizenship Act.
At the event, AMMOCOC president SM Jalal said that the convention is being organised to trace the Pangal forefathers who fled the State during the seven years devastation.
The convention aims at studying the status, culture and tradition of the Pangals in Assam, Tripura and Bangladesh, he added.
Even though the Pangals follow Islam, they are 'unique' from other Muslims.
The convention will take several resolutions and steps to preserve this 'uniqueness' of culture and tradition, Jalal said adding that the convention will cement bonds between the indigenous communities of Manipur.
He further expressed serious concern over the 'allegations' floating on social media platforms which showed the convention in the wrong light.
He asserted that AMMOCOC has no authority to decide the nomenclature of the Muslims in Manipur.
It can not take the decision to name the community as Pangal, Meitei Pangal or Manipuri Muslims.
The decision should be taken after careful consultation of the expert historians, researchers and the public.
The State Gazette notifications may give light to the issue of nomenclature, but the convention is not at all related to this issue, Jalal said.
AMMOCOC is an apex body of 13 Muslim organisations including Jamiat-ul-Ulema.