Student bodies lambast Amit Shah's 'misleading statement'
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 14 2023:
At least six student organisations have come out strongly against the controversial remark made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah which linked modem day Manipur with the Hindu epic Mahabharat during a function held at Moirang recently.
A statement jointly issued by MSF, DESAM, KSA, SUK, AIMS and another union said that it would be better to find another name for Manipur which was also only coined in the 18th century if the erstwhile kingdom should be made a part of the epic 'as such a misleading statement can distort our culture and history' .
Claiming that many forces were sent to influence/impose western culture and religion to the people of the erstwhile kingdom and 'abolish our philosophy, culture and belief system' , the student organisations alleged that these forces started using fabricated tales as the people of the erstwhile kingdom of Kangleipak who have their own culture, identity, royal chronicle (Cheitharol Kumbaba) and written constitution (Loyumba Shinyen) could not be influenced by foreign culture.
The Puyas (manuscripts which were sacred to Manipuri people) were also burnt to impose western culture unpon 'our ancestors', they claimed.
Saying that the Manipur mentioned in the Mahabharat is not 'our State,' the joint statement appealed to the people to be on guard 'as there might even be a hidden agenda behind the controversial remark' .