Downfall of Meetei will lead to disintegration of Manipur: Sanajaoba
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, June 17 2022:
Titular king of Manipur and Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba has said that Meetei community needs to remain as a strong community as its downfall would lead to disintegration of Manipur.
He was attending as chief guest of the one-day discussion programme for Umang Lai thougallois held under the banner 'Umang Laigee Laipungda Laipung Kanaba Khannaba' at Iboyaima Shumang Leela Shanglen, Palace Compound, here on Friday.
Speaking on the occasion, the titular king pointed out that cursorily Meetei community seems a prosperous and advanced community.
However, the community is constantly threatened by the ever increasing influx of non-locals, which is changing the demographic landscape of the state.
Moreover, mass scale practice of family planning among the Meetei community is becoming the reason for decreasing population.
The community is suffering from various fronts.
For years, Meetei community has been shouldering the responsibility for maintaining the unity, integrity and identity of Manipur with contribution from other communities.
This status would be lost and disintegration of the state inevitable if Meetei community becomes a minority in their own home, he said.
It is time for the Meetei community to take up necessary measures for developing regular gathering places to discuss issues pertaining to the community and the state as a whole.
Instead of keeping the Umang Lai Laipung (complexes) closed for a whole year after the Lai Haraoba festival, it is time to convert these complexes as the place for weekly gathering so that the people could discuss key issues.
It could help in strengthening the community as well, he opined.
There are reports of irregular and unexplainable growth of population in some hill districts, which needs proper study to ascertain the correct figure.
Such irregular population growth is being recorded for nearly three decades and as such, delimitation at this juncture without bringing out the true figures could prove disastrous for the state.
As such the government is urging the central government to defer the delimitation exercise till 2026 so that the true figure of population could be brought out through effective census operation, he said.
On the other hand, drug menace is becoming a major issue in the state.
As a result of many youths becoming addicted to drugs or alcohol, over 12,000 widows or estranged women have fallen prey into the hands of non-locals.
It is a hard and ugly fact, which every individual in the state needs to understand.
While family planning could be an effective solution to address population growth, it is not a viable option for minority communities.
High rate of C-section child delivery is also a cause for concern the society needs to look into as it limits the ability to bear child to a maximum of three children by a woman while most couple limits it to one or two.
It will only bring downfall of the community, he maintained.
PHE minister Leishangthem Susindro, Sana Konung Maichou Purel Ngariyanbam Kangjia Mangang, Sana Konung Maiba Hanba Samchetsabam Kondumba, Sana Konung Utra Shanglen custom secretary Thokchom Ibungokhal and Sanamahi Temple Board vice-president Bidyapati Senjam also attended the programme as presidium members.
Later, the gathering adopted several resolutions which include reviving the Yakaba (public gathering) practice at Kangla Yakapung, Moirang Kanglei, Khuman Kanglei, Luwang Kanglei, Khaba Kanglei and Salai Leishangthem Kanglei as well as Umang Lai Laipung of different localities on every first and full moon day of Meetei lunar month starting from the month Ingen.
The meet also agreed to entrust the respective committees of different Umang Lai Laipungs to decide the schedule for weekly gathering and to strengthen the tradition of Shinglup.