Manipuris in Tripura yearns for a own State Bhawan
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, April 08 2013:
The Manipuris living in Tripura have conveyed discontentment over the attitude of the Government of Manipur over the proposal for construction of a Manipur Bhawan in Tripura even despite repeated appeals.
Meanwhile, Manipuri Sahitya Parishad, which has taken an active role for setting up a Manipur Bhawan in Tripura for which the Tripura Government had even granted the required land in the new capital complex of Agartala but remained useless since the Manipur Government has not shown any interest, for reasons best known to itself, has decried the alleged indifference of the State Government over the issue.
It was in 2009 that Manipuri Sahitya Parishad, Tripura with the support of other Manipuri people living in Tripura submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister of Manipur urging him to construct a Manipur Bhawan in Tripura, considering the close relationship between the people of Tripura and the Manipuri people settling there.
As the Government of Manipur has not given any response even after submission of the memorandum, a reminder had been submitted to the Chief Minister of Manipur on November 24, 2010.However, till today, the State Government has not taken up any positive actions.
The negligence of the Government of Manipur in this regard has raised questions over whether it is trying to destroy the good relation between the people of Manipur and the Manipuri people settling in Tripura.
The whole matter came to light during a visit to Tripura to trace the roots of the scattered Manipuri people by a joint team of Meetei National Front (MNF), All Manipur Recognised Private School Welfare Association, Pandam, monthly journal in Meetei Mayek and Hueiyen Lanpao, recently.
Talking to Hueiyen Lanpao, members of Manipuri Sahitya Parishad, Tripura and other leaders of Manipuri community in Tripura, recounted that during the Seven Years' Devastation (1819-1826), a number of Manipuris fled from Manipur to Myanmar and Tripura among other places.
Even the daughter of Maharaja Bodhachandra was married off to the King of Tripura and the settlement of Manipuris in Tripura began gradually.
Among the Manipuris in Tripura, RK Kamaljit, became the first Manipuri MLA in Tripura and he was in office for two consecutive terms from 1958-70.The relationship between Tripura and Manipur was strengthened during the Chief Ministership of M Koireng.
But today, the present Government has not done anything to revive the relationship, they lamented.