One detained for blasphemy
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 01 2023:
One Takhellambam Ramananda of Langol Tarung who made a highly blasphemous and offensive remark against Meitei indigenous faith was pulled up and detained in lock-up by Imphal police station.
Ramananda made the remark and gesture at a Gospel Outreach programme of Sagang Baptist Church on March 26 .
As the video clip of Ramananda's blasphemous and offensive speech went viral on social media, Imphal police station received a complaint.
Subsequently, police pulled him up.
"Noigi mi siba kanda, noigi mi siba chatluba meeoishinga hallakpa kanda tairel mana pairaga eshing khiktokle aduga thongalda mei thai, karigino hairaga phattaba changdanabane hai, thui!", he said in his speech.
Ramananda's speech can be roughly translated into "when your people die, those who went for cremation are sprinkled with water using Tairel leaves and fire is lit at the residential gates.
On being asked about this practice/custom, people said that it is meant to ward off evil" .
Apart from making this highly blasphemous and inflammatory speech, Ramananda spit on the stage and made offensive gestures.
Even as police were questioning Ramananda in Imphal police station, one MLA elected from the hills took him away, sources informed.
Meanwhile, titular king and Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba has questioned the identity of the uncouth man (Ramananda) who dared to derogate the culture and customs of the Meitei community.
In a Facebook post, the king pledged that he would never forgive or let the man scot-free.
"If he does not apologise, I swear in the name of Ebudhou Pakhangba that I would skin him alive.
I do not care whether I remain an MP or not", Sanajaoba said in his Facebook post.