Meitei community is the binding force : Biren
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 23 2022: Categorically stating that the Meitei community is the binding force which keeps the State of Manipur afloat, Chief Minister N Biren has asserted that Meiteis have momentous responsibility towards ensuring harmony and peaceful co-existence among different communities of the State.

Addressing the Mera Meepham 2022 (annual conference on Umanglai Haraoba) organised by the Umanglai Kanba Apunba Lup (UKAL) at City Convention Centre here today, N Biren said that Manipur would disintegrate into multiple pieces and sink completely when Meiteis lose their spirit and strength.

Manipur is currently passing through a very critical phase and its future looks quite bleak, he said and added that all the indigenous communities of the State may disappear from the surface of the Earth after 20 years but there is no let up in inter-community rivalry and slandering, Biren said.

Meitei community is the binding force : Biren

"Even though our situation is growing from bad to worse, we are still unable to unite together.

When Meiteis are fragmented, nobody will listen to us.

However, if we can stand united and strong, we will be able to save other communities and help our brethren who have settled in different parts of the planet", Biren said.

Asserting that culture and language are two basic elements which define the identity of a Nation, the Chief Minister underscored the importance of preserving and promoting one's own culture and language.

It seems that the present generation has very little idea of how Manipur was built and how it was protected from many challenges and threats, he remarked.

Setting aside all differences, all the indigenous communities need to focus on the core issues so as to strengthen the idea of oneness, Biren said.

Nobody has given any serious thought to such facts and figures like the State's population and for how many generations the Manipur Nation would survive, the Chief Minister continued.

He also noted the ever growing number of Manipuri women who have married non-Manipuri men.

There is no guarantee that some unseen forces might not have been scheming to wipe out the indigenous population of Manipur.

All the people need to ponder over how drugs are made available all over the State and find out if any hidden force is behind extensive abuse of drugs seen in the State, Biren said.

Noting that Umanglai is something inseparable from the cultural life of Meitei community, N Biren reiterated the Government's declaration that all the plots of land belonging to Umanglais can now be registered.

He then appealed to all concerned to ensure that Lai Haraoba festivals are limited to 4/5 days as far as possible.

When Lai Haraoba is celebrated for extended period, many alien activities like holding tombola games, performance of western dance items, holding sports events etc paint a very sorry picture of Lai Haraoba and corrupts its essence, Biren said.

He further appealed to all concerned to ensure that Lai Haraoba is purely dedicated to the Almighty.

If the indigenous values and cultural practices must be promoted, there should not be any room for corruption of these cultural practices by way of adulteration with foreign elements.

A booklet on dos and don'ts of Lai Haraoba should be published and the same should be distributed to all localities, the Chief Minister suggested.

"Nobody ought to resent or harbour ill-feeling when we work to preserve and promote our culture, identity, religious practices and language.

We must not see other religions as enemies and at the same time, others should not see our religion as adversary", Biren added.

Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba highlighted the need to hold a series of dialogue among all the indigenous communities of Manipur in order to foster the idea of unity and promote communal harmony.

He appealed to the Meitei community to ensure regular gathering at least one or twice a month at the premises of the local deities so as to discuss different issues of the State and the community.

PHE Minister L Susindro, Arts & Culture Commissioner M Joy and Prof Ng Kangjiya Mangang too attended the conference.

Apart from Maibas, Maibis, Pena artistes, representatives of Lai committees and cultural exponents of the State, Meitei delegates from Tripura and Assam also attended the conference.

Later, Chief Minister N Biren felicitated students of Manipur University of Culture who are pursuing Master's Degree course.