Displaced residents react against Minister's 'land patta' remark
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 10 2023:
Khumujamba Meitei Leikai Pattadar (Landowner) Association, Churachandpur has strongly reacted against the remark made by CAF & PD Minister Leishangthem Susindro that the 'Meitei people of Churachandpur do not possess land pattas' .
The association on behalf of the displaced Meiteis from Churachandpur demanded a clarification from the Minister at the earliest with regard to his remark made on a public platform which appeared in local dailies of November 9 issue.
Slamming the remark of the Minister, Ngariyanbam Ullen Mangang, general secretary of the association termed the remark as unfortunate and appealed to the Minister not to make unverified remarks at public platforms without proper research.
He made the above statement while addressing media persons during a press meet held at Manipur Press Club today.
He maintained that 'such casual remark from a Minister of the State is not called for since it has hurt the sentiments of the displaced Meiteis from Churachandpur who are experiencing immense difficulties amid the prevailing unrest' .
Ullen further informed that Khumujamba Meitei Leikai Pattadar (Landowner) Association had sent a representation for verification of the land pattas of the Meiteis on December 15, 2022 to the Deputy Registration of Society, Churachandpur when the incumbent Deputy Commissioner of Churachandpur, Dharun Kumar S who was serving as a SDO.
'Accordingly, the SDC of Churachandpur district sent a verification report with letter reference number P-136/SR/2022 � CCP/154 and verified the land patta to be true', he said.
Ullen went on to state that 'Meiteis have been residing in Churachandpur before 1950s and there are land survey reports done in 1953 to validate the same' .
In view of the above, he urged the Minister to clarify in connection with his statement at the earliest.
With regard to the compensation announced by the Government, the displaced residents of Churachandpur whose houses have been razed to the ground urged the Government to revise the compensation amount since it is not justified considering the heavy loss incurred by them.
Meanwhile, it has been clarified that the Minister implied that 'The Government faced inconveniences in providing benefits of various Governmental schemes since it was found that many of the residents of Churachandpur who have been staying there for long didn't possess proper land documents' .