Bholaganj Meeteis rue Meghalaya government's apathy
Source: Chronicle News Service
Bholaganj, September 30 2022:
Meeteis residing in Bholaganj village along the Indo-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya are living their lives in distress and are rueing step-motherly treatment meted out to them by the Meghalaya government.
Still remaining as an unrecognised village, Bholaganj Meeteis have been urging the Meghalaya government to grant recognition of the village so that they too could enjoy benefits of government schemes.
The residents also compared how the Manipur government is taking up welfare activities for the Khasis living in Jiri and Tamenglong district, and how the Meghalaya government is treating the Meeteis in Bholaganj.
Their pitiful condition came to light when a media team led by PDA chairman and Keirao MLA Lourembam Rameshwar went to the village as per the initiative of chief minister N Biren.
The team left Imphal on September 27 by road and reached Bholaganj on Friday morning.
The team got a warm welcome from the residents and conveyed that it is the first time visit by an MLA from Manipur.
They were happy to see such attention from the government of Manipur and expressed hope that it will help in mitigating their grievances.
Unfortunately, only some of the Meetei residents of the village can speak Manipuri language properly and there is a constant fear of the local residents replacing their mother-tongue with some other language.
Most of the families there are poor.
On the cultural side, all the families worship Lainingthou Sanamahi and Ima Leimarel Sidabi like any other Meetei family but the houses do not follow the traditional rules (Yumsarol) .
Known as Bholaganj by the residents, the village is sometimes called Majai by the Khasis.
The Meetei settlement in the village dates back to pre-independent era.
It is located at a distance of around 115 km from Shillong under Sheila assembly constituency.
There are a total of 25 households of 15 surnames.
The team led by MLA Rameshwar along with local elder Nongmaithem Bhogendra and Bholaganj Meetei Development Society general secretary Khongbantabam Kulajit had an interaction with the local residents.
The MLA presented several Khudei and Phanek (loin cloths) as well as a photo of Hijam Irabot to the local residents.
Interacting with the villagers, the MLA expressed satisfaction over the Meetei families preserving their indigenous religion and tradition.
He assured them of apprising their grievances and hardships to chief minister N Biren for possible intervention and assistance.
Rameshwar expressed hope that Meghalaya government will definitely agree to proposal from the government of Manipur.
He also offered them free transport and stay in Imphal to attend the upcoming Sangai Festival if any of the villagers want to visit the annual tourism festival.
Khongbantabam Kulajit said that despite being an old settlement, the Meghalaya government has not recognised the village.
It was not until recently that they got voting rights after much pressure.
Except for election campaign, no MLA or government officials visit the village.
The residents have not received benefits of any welfare or developmental schemes of the state or central governments till date.
All they get from the Meghalaya government are cold shoulder and step-motherly treatment, he said while urging for possible support from the government of Manipur.
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