The 8th of July 1994 : A full eclipse or a new moon for Moirang ?

NS Hemam *

Ching-ngu Thangjing Laikon gate at Moirang :: Pix by Jinendra Maibam

As we live in a world in continuous flux – changes in every living being, in every system, in every society, in every culture, in every civilization, and in every sphere is inevitable. The day one stops changing, that's the day one ends its journey. Moirang is not an exception, too.

The largely unaccounted history of Moirang is the history of a fiercely independent kingdom with a well organized administrative system, a fair and just justice system, a non-discriminatory and inclusive social practices bridled with rich cultural and religious traditions.

The much acclaimed story of 'Khamba-Thoibi' is not a simple tale of a romantic tragedy, but a well painted portrait of a rich political tradition, art and cultural practices, belief systems, economy, trade and relations, social systems, etc of the glorious past of Moirang.

No other place in Manipur, including the Kingdom of Meiteis, could even remotely rival the rich cultural and social traditions of Moirang. The fame Laiharaoba festival of Manipur, various Manipuri dance forms, folktales, folksongs, belief systems, which are synonymous with Manipuri identity, are remains of Moirang's glorious past. The occurrence of the word 'Moirang' in various forms in every corner of the State, be it in valley or in hill areas, is perhaps an indication of the wide spread fame of Moirang in the past.

The rise of Meitei Kingdom in 14th-15th century was the beginning of downfall of Moirang. The consolidation of power by Meitei Kings further decimated Moirang in both political and social religious spheres. Just like any other community, once the proud people of Moirang were consigned as Lois by the Meitei kings. This was a dictate imposed by the Meitei kings to maintain socio-religious superiority of the ruling class over other communities, following the footsteps of Hindu caste system after conversion.

Moirang as Scheduled Caste (SC): the 8th of July 1994

The President of India, exercising the power under Article 341(1) of the Constitution, had issued Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Order, 1950 and Lois of Manipur was declared as Scheduled Caste, but not throughout the State. The 8 villages included in the ST&SC Orders (Amendment) Act 1956 were Sekmai, Khurkhul, Phayeng, Laimaram Khunou, Koutruk, Kwatha, Leimaram and Andro.

It was in the Scheduled Tribes and Castes Orders (Amendment) Act 1976 that the final step of inclusion of Moirang as SC was born. In the new amendment, the Lois of Manipur were declared as Scheduled Castes, without geographical limits in the State. Twenty-six more villages were added to the first list of 8 villages, and Moirang was one of the new villages. Therefore, people of Moirang, by Constitution, became a Scheduled Caste (SC) population in 1976.

Finally, after spending more than 16 years in anonymity, the list of Moirang sageis to be included in the SC list, along with other sageis of Lois, was finalized and published in Manipur Gazette on 8th of July 1994. Fifteen (15) sageis of Moirang – Kiyam, Kumam, Hemam, Mairembam, Phairembam, Moirangthem, Yumkhaibam, Philem, Pukhrem, Pukhram, Laiphrakpam, Konjengbam, Ninghthoumayum, Laishangbam, and Maibram – were listed as belonging to the Lois of Moirang.

It's a different matter though none from Moirang ever asked for SC privileges in the beginning, even though the constitutional provision was there since 1976. Even after the publication of 15 sageis of Lois of Moirang in Manipur Gazette on 8th of July 1994, people of Moirang by and large remained oblivious to the new constitutional provision.

As much as people of Sekmai, Kakching, Andro, Thanga etc were Scheduled Castes in 1990s, people of Moirang were also Scheduled Castes since 1976. Was it plain ignorance or wounded pride of people of Moirang that prevented them to avail the new found Constitutional privileges? Only time will tell.

Delay without reasons

The efforts of the All Moirang Loi People's Welfare Association, Moirang in recent years have brought the issues of Lois and Scheduled Castes to the fore in Moirang. The Presidential notification issued after the 1976 [Amendment] Act, declaring Lois in the State of Manipur as Scheduled Castes, it is neither permissible for the State Government nor for any Court to subtract their status as Scheduled Castes.

The 1976 Act also empowers the District Magistrate as the competent authority, of course with proper verification process, to issue SC certificates to the inhabitants of 34 villages listed as Loi villages in Manipur.

It was general ignorance of common people and indifferent attitude of district administration that people of Moirang never avail the constitutional privileges provided under the SC & ST Act. Apart from occasional SC certificates, issued by District Magistrate at different points of time at his/her own discretion, most people of Moirang had no access to SC privileges which they should have had as early as 1976. People of Kakching were the first one to grasp the new opportunity in 1992, even though it was late by more than 16 years.

The recent notification of Govt. of Manipur (No.12/8/SC/C/MRG/2014-DCB, dated 17th Feb 2015) allows the All Moirang Loi People's Welfare Association, Moirang to participate in screening and verification process. It has provided a more open and transparent transaction system, and enables common people to have easy access to the privileges.

A divided house with varied logics: a full eclipse or a new moon?

There are at least two streams of thoughts in Moirang – one who still strongly believes Moirang as the epitome of Manipuri culture and civilization therefore should live with pride and refuse scheduled caste status and the other who believes in more pragmatism, and views the scheduled caste status as a new found opportunity towards prosperity.

One of the main contentions of those who oppose to SC status is that Moirang was once an independent kingdom with rich social, cultural and political traditions that no other place, including the Meitei Kingdom, could challenge. Acceptance of the SC status as Lois therefore amounts to acceptance of Moirang as a sub-culture of the Meitei culture and lost of its independent identity – a total eclipse for Moirang.

The Constitution of India recognizes 34 villages of Lois as Scheduled Castes in Manipur. The term 'Loi,' meaning exiled or colonized, is defined/identified with reference to the dominant Meitei Kingdom, the then rulers of the pre-colonial period. It is argued that Moirang too ruled over the whole of the state at different point of times; political defeats in the later period shouldn't be construed as cultural and religious defeats. The identity of Moirang, therefore, shouldn't be seen as a subordinate of the dominant Meitei kingdom, but should be seen as one among equals.

There is wind of change – the younger generations however see recognition of Moirang as 'Scheduled Castes' as a new found opportunity to step-up in education and job avenues. It was share ignorance of common people and lack of visionary leadership that Moirang lost almost 40 years of privileges provided under Indian Constitution. This was a period of lost opportunity.

It took about 18 years for people of Moirang to realize that just like Kakching, Andro and others Moirang too is recognized as Scheduled Caste. One of the reasons was that in the 1976 Act, there was no clarity on who would constitute as Lois of Moirang.

The publication of 15 Sageis of Moirang as Lois in Manipur Gazette on 8th of July 1994 finally settled the issue. It's a different matter though common people, out of share ignorance, had to wait for almost twenty more years to have easy access to SC privileges. For the new age pragmatists, it is a new moon for Moirang.