Leilon Vaiphei was a tenant : Konsakhul
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 01 2023: The Konsakhul Village Authority has insisted that Leilon Vaiphei village was a tenant and claimed that they have enough evidence and documents to prove the tenancy of Leilon Vaiphei.

"When Shonglal Khaute, Laljakhup Cholu and Netkong Thangneng came to our village and begged for tenancy, on humanitarian ground they were allowed to settle in our land and thereby a lease agreement was signed which still stands today between the landlord (Konsakhul) and tenant (Leilon).

As loyalty in recognition of the landlord, Leilon Vaiphei village had been paying tax in the form of one sangbai of paddy per household in a year to Konsakhul village", claimed a statement issued by Konsakhul Village Authority chairman D Adam Liangmai.

The village chairman further claimed that they have land lease agreement, copy of tax receipts and Court orders issued by PMSD (President, Manipur State Darbar) of 1920, 1927, 1931 and successive Magisterial Court orders of C Gimson, SJ Duncan, Major Bob Khathing, Chakraborty and Maisnam Nabakumar.

It is also a fact that till 1970s, there was only one Leilon Vaiphei village but now it has exponentially increased to 21 villages, it said and questioned as to how these villages sprang up abnormally within a very short period of time.

The Leilon Vaiphei villagers were requested not to destroy the environment and forests and also not to pollute the Singda river as lakhs of people in the valley including Vaiphei villagers are drinking from it.

Although this catchment area of Singda river is a protected zone, thousands of sandang were kept in this catchment area by Leilon Vaiphei village which eventually polluted the river by its urines, excreta and carcasses during plaque, it alleged.

It is an undeniable fact that the tourists coming to Konsakhul waterfall and some pilgrims coming from Imphal for the purpose of pilgrimage to Kounu Leirembi were stopped and harassed.

Besides, two innocent Konsakhul villagers were abducted, one JCB owned by Edal Singh of Singjamei was vandalised and one scooty was burnt to ashes by Leilon Vaiphei people on March 26 .

Subsequently, on March 28, a team of goodwill mission from Konsakhul village who went to enquire about the untoward incident were brutally assaulted by Leilon Vaiphei villagers where 20 people were severely injured, 2 persons are in serious condition and have been hospitalised at Raj Medicity, Imphal.

All these facts and figures have been recorded at the police station concerned under the direct supervision of the Superintendent of Police, Kangpokpi district, according to the statement.

It further alleged that some thugs of Leilon Vaiphei village have been involved in waylaying travellers to rob, rape, assault and kidnap people passing by the road of Leimakhong on regular basis.

Showing scant regard for the common good, they have been wilfully engaging in wanton destruction of forests cover in the name of hunting, poisoned the upstream river which drains into the Singda Dam in the name of fishing, generation of revenues by poppy cultivation and logging business, it continued.

"On 18th October, 1993, Leilon Vaiphei village tried to snatch our land by burning down Konsakhul village to ashes but still we forgave them.

And now they are trying to grab our land again in the name of "sandang fencing", the Konsakhul Village Authority chairman said.

Leilon Vaphei may even claim that all the standing order of the President, Manipur State Darbar and the magisterial Court orders issued by C Gimson, SJ Duncan, Major Bob Khathing, Chakraborty and Maisnam Nabakumar Singh including the land lease agreement and copy of tax receipts as concocted and fake document because they are accustomed to distortion of facts, according to the chairman's statement.

The fact of the matter is that, the standing Order of the President Manipur State Darbar issued by Captain Harvey under Part-I Order No.11 of 18th August, 1931 clearly stated that "the Kuki shall not be issued firearms because of the savagery nature against the Nagas".

Under Part-II which reads as "declared that they shall be granted firearms on loan for protection against wild animals" .

While Order No 9 in September, 1933 declared that, Kuki village having 20 households shall pay House Tax of Rs 6 per annum" .

Besides, the standing order of the President, Manipur State Darbar issued by TA Sharp reads "Kuki in the Naga areas in Manipur are Aliens and Refugees" .

Moreover, the standing Order of PMSD No.2 of 23rd July, 1941 declared that "the Kukis shall obtain prior permission from the chief of Naga village for settlement and pay House Tax to the Naga Chief", the chairman cited.

"So, there are a number of facts and historical accounts documented in the PMSD Court Order and all the aforementioned documents are with us.

Hence, whatever Leilon Vaiphei village wants us to do in order to prove that we are the landlord and they are the tenant, we are ready to do it.

A tenant has no right to claim land ownership and also should not distort the rich history of the Manipur State according to their whims and fancy", it added.

It then appealed to the State Government to look into the looming situation of the illegal immigrants and check the abnormal growth of villages within a short span of time in the region.

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