Sit-in protest decries objection to NSU site
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 08 2017: Taking strong exception to the voices of objection raised by some quarters against construction of National Sports University (NSU) at Haraothel, Imphal West, a protest demonstration was staged today at the site where the university is being constructed .

The protest demonstration was staged under the aegis of the National Sports University Haraothel Protection Committee (NSUHPC) and the Senjam Khunou and Senjam Chirang Joint Development Committee .

The protesters put up placards and shouted slogans which read/sounded as "We welcome NSU at Haraothel", "We support NSU", "Protect State Durbar Land", "Haraothel, the ancestral land since 1926-28" etc .

Speaking to media persons by the sidelines of the protest demonstration NSUHPC acting chairman I Ranjan said that the hill range known as Haraothel was given to Senjam Khunou and Senjam Chirang in 1928 by an order of the Manipur State Durbar.

Since then, the villagers have been protecting the hill range.

Establishment of NSU at Haraothel is a common aspiration of all the adjoining villages.

However, a group of hill people who started settling in the area only in the 1980s have been protesting the Government's plan thereby painting a picture shrouded in controversy, Ranjan said .

Even though the area is known as Haraothel since ages, an order issued by then Saitu-Gamphazol SDO N Surjit renamed the area as L Tangnuam and Sahirok River as Leilon Luipi .

It is unacceptable that the SDO adopted new names without consulting the people of Senjam Khunou and Senjam Chirang to whom the area belongs .

Senjam Khunou and Senjam Chirang would not claim other people's land nor would they cede even a tiny piece of their ancestral land, Ranjan asserted .

He said that they are ready to go for carbon-dating of the order issued by the Manipur State Durbar .

Pointing out that boundaries of the newly created Kangpokpi district have not been demarcated, Ranjan asked the State Government to take up necessary action against those elements making provocative statements .

On the other hand, a strong police force was deployed at the NSU site during the protest demonstration so as to thwart any untoward incident.

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