Imphal, July 10 2009: Today was a sad day for the Opposition bench, specially the Manipur People's Party (MPP) in the ongoing session of the Manipur Legislative Assembly.

Two different private member resolutions moved by MLAs of MPP fell flat as the ruling Congress refused to support them.

In relation with one of the private member resolutions, Chief Minister okram Ibobi today appealed to the Opposition not to project him as one who stands against the Sanamahi faith.

A private member resolution moved by MLAs Dr Ng Bijoy and Dr I Ibohalbi of MPP on recognising those Sanamahi worshippers as minority community has failed to receive support from the ruling bench in the Manipur Legislative Assembly today.

Dr Bijoy, who first moved the private member resolution, drew the attention of the House saying that those people who follow the faith of Sanamahi are very less in number.

According to 2001 census, there are a little over 23,000 people of Sanamahi faith, whereas those who follow Hinduism are over 18 lakh.

Therefore, it is logical that the population of Sanamahi faith should be recognised as minority, Dr Bijoy said and requested House to pass the resolution.

Dr I Ibohalbi, who was the second mover of the private member resolution, drew the attention of the House to the fact that the constitution of India provides that any group people or community having their own religious faith, culture, etc.

but the population is very less, may be recognised as a minority community.

He said, according to 2001 census, the Sanamahi faith had been recognised as a religious faith, which is incorporated in the seventh column under code 751.Therefore it should be right to declare the populatin of Sanamahi faith as minority, Dr Ibohalbi said.

He further informed the House that according to 2001 census report, the population of Muslim (Meetei-Pangal) was 1,90,939.The population of Sanamahi worshippers was 2,35,280.The population of Christian STs was 7,37,578 and that of Hindu faith was 9,96,894.There are also some other small groups.

Therefore, it will be just to declare the population of Sanamahi faith as a minority group, Dr Ibohalbi asserted.

After listening to the statements of the two MPP MLAs, leader of the House Chief Minister O Ibobi replied that there are two categories of minority.

One is religious minority and the other is language minority.

The state government can not declare the population of Sanamahi faith a minority, the leader of the House said, adding that the National Minority Commission alone can do it.

As such he will look into the matter whether it can be done or not, but today itself is too much of a hurry, he said.

Reacting to the Chief Minister's reply, Dr Bijoy drew the attention of the House to see whether the House could take a decision to send the matter to the National Minority Commission later, if not today.

Chief Minister Ibobi again said that those who follow Hinduism also worship Sanamahi.

Unless the matter is carefully studied, mistakes are likely to be committed.

He appealed to the Opposition Members not to make him seen as one who is against Sanamahi faith.

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