Royal Palace bodies oppose take-over plan
Source: The Sangai Express / NNN

Imphal, July 02 2013: Strongly denouncing the recent decision of the State Cabinet to take-over the Royal Palace for renovation/re-construction works, Sana Konung Semgat-Sagat Lup and Sana Konung Royal Council today cautioned that strong movement would be launched against the Government in association with the people of Manipur if the decision is not revoked at the earliest.

Briefing media persons on the controversial Cabinet decision at Palace Compound, Royal Council legal advisor Puyam Tomcha said the matter has been intimated to the President of India in a memorandum submitted on June 27 seeking intervention of Dr Pranab Mukherjee.

"The Royal Palace should not be made into a historical monument as the king still exists and the activities of the Royal Palace are very much there," said Tomcha adding, "If the state government does not review its decision, the royal family will occupy the Kangla Fort which is now being maintained by the state government after the Assam Rifles had left the fort.

Royal palace - Sana Konung

"In the Merger Agreement, it is clearly mentioned that the Royal Palace is the private property of the Maharaja of Manipur.

The king has been living in the Palace and performing all customary rites and rituals as the sole authority.

It is a fundamental right of the king which has been enumerated in Article 26 of Indian Constitution.

So, the decision of the State Cabinet to take over Royal Palace is in violation of the fundamental right enshrined in the Constitution of India," Tomcha iterated.

He also proposed that Kangla Fort Board be abolished.

Few days ago, the Tangkhul chiefs' body and the Federation of All Tribal Youth Clubs, Manipur had condemned the 'hasty decision' of Manipur Cabinet to 'take over' the sacred Royal Palace expressing that the state Government seems to be acting like the title-holder of the historic location.

It is the onus of the state Government to refurbish the palace through 'funding' and then handing over the task to the Sana Konung Semgat Sagat Lup or other bodies working for preservation of the palace, FATYCM said.

It said the Government should honour the Sana Konung and take care of it by means of backing only and flayed the former for purportedly being 'acquisitive' .

On June 22, the Manipur cabinet had resolved to take over 12 to 13 acres of the Royal Palace area in the heart of Imphal and develop it to retain the glorious era of Manipur's existence as an independent nation in the past.

Ever since this decision of the state government, people including titular king Sanajaoba Leishemba have been carrying out sit-in-protest in front of the Palace.

Accusing Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh of providing misleading information to members of the Manipur Legislative Assembly on the Royal Palace takeover plan, Sana Konung Semgat Lup said development works would be heartily welcomed if the Government of Manipur complies with an earlier agreement signed between Government and Lup representatives on February 26, 2006 in the presence of the CM himself.

Tomcha regretted that Chief Minister Ibobi referred to the Royal Palace take-over plan as a part of the Government's endeavour to protect 'historical monument' .

dismissing the CM's statement in the Assembly yesterday as most immature and misleading, Tomcha claimed that the Royal Palace could not be equated to a monument as the place is still occupied by the titular king.

While huge amount of money had been used or earmarked for events organised regularly at Palace Compound the Royal family have been deprived of Government generosity for no grant or financial assistance was/is extended to them, maintained the legal advisor.

Criticising the CM for stating that the proposed Royal Palace face-lift plan is on the model of the palace in Tripura, he reminded that the two cases differ vastly as Tripura State is no longer home to Tripuris, the original settlers while the Manipur Royal Palace still has the titular king residing and preserving customary practices.

A memorandum protesting State Government's Royal Palace take-over plan has been submitted to the President of India on June 27 urging Dr Pranab Mukherjee to prevail upon the CM to drop the Royal Palace reconstruction project.

Lup vice president Joy Chingakham was also present during the media briefing.