Attempts to divide Meitei visible: Dr Bimol
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 30 2025: Lok Sabha Member Dr Bimol Akoijam has asserted that Meiteis are central to the idea of Manipur but attempts to divide Meitei are always visible.

Coinciding with the 10th foundation day of Meitei Leikol, Takyel Khongbal Makoi Nungon Ching Maning, Imphal West Oja Angou Memorial Open Library was inaugurated today with the premises of Meitei Leikol.

Speaking as the chief guest at the inaugural function, Dr Bimol said that Meitei is a very organised community who adapted successfully to evolutionary changes.

Although English started as a language spoken by Anglo-Saxons, many French words and words from several other languages were incorporated into English before it became such a rich language, he said.

Likewise, Meitei was not formed by a single mainstream group.

Meitei is an amalgam of different groups who spoke different languages, he continued.

Attempts to create internal divisions and destroy the Meitei community in the name of religion are visible, he said.

"We need to know who Meiteis are.

While researching our own identity, we must never do or say anything which may fragment the Meitei community", the MP said.

Referring to psychologist Erik Erikson's idea of 'Identity crisis', he said "who are we' is a question being asked perpetually.

Hellenistic period's phrase "Know Thyself' can be interpreted as knowing one's duty, Dr Bimol said.

On the other hand, astronauts who have travelled to space see the Earth as a dot in a boundless space.

As such, most of the astronauts became spiritual after returning to the Earth, he said.

Darwin's theory of 'Survival of the Fittest' does not mean the one who is physically strongest but it means the one who can adapt to evolutionary changes, Dr Bimol said.

He said that there should be a continuity between the past and present, and should have a vision for the future.

If a community lives in fantasy or the past glory without this continuity and the vision for future, the community can never advance, he asserted.

Remarking that the library inaugurated today was quite unique, the MP said that he would collect books on the histories, cultures and traditions of different neighbouring communities of Manipur and give them to the library.

Meitei Leikol CEO Chongtham Khelchandrfa Meitei said that the garden was opened on October 30, 2015.He said that the garden aims to reflect what is written in the Meitei religious texts and what is practised in the Meitei faith.

Meitei Leikol managing director Chongtham Kunjakishore Meitei, public speaker Dr Dhanabir Laishram, Moirang College Principal Dr Raheijuddin Sheikh and Mao Union Imphal advisor K Sani Alexander were also present at the function.

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