Imphal, May 31: MEELAL president Chingsubam Akaba has stated that with the State Government finally agreeing to introduce Meetei Mayek, the people of Manipur have attained the freedom to use their indigenous script after 276 years of neglect.

In an interview with The Sangai Express today, Akaba who was released from Central Sajiwa Jail yesterday along with 301 activists, said �This is a turning point and I am so happy to know that Meetei Mayek would finally replace Bengali script in the near future�.

The agreement between us and the State Government to introduce Meetei Mayek in class I and II in the valley district and Roman script in the hill districts from the next academic session is a turning point in the revival of the indigenous script�, he maintained.

When asked about the proposal of formation of a State level Meetei Mayek Implementation Committee, Akaba said that it should be set up very soon so that all mandatory tasks could be taken up ahead of implementing the indigenous script.

Informing that from the Government side Education Minister Francis Ngajokpa has been proposed to head the Committee with officials of Education Department and MEELAL leaders as members, Akaba, however, suggested that script experts from Manipur University, student leaders of colleges and experts concerned should also be included in the Committee to make it more effective.�Since Vice Chancellor of Manipur University Dr N Bijoy Singh is keen on reviving the indigenous script, I hope the Government would do the needful,� he said.

On the torching of the State Central Library, the script activist quipped, �it has now become a past event.

Notwithstanding this event, we will extend our utmost effort in reviving it (the Library)�.

He maintained that it is a well-known fact that the State Government always comes to the negotiating tables and assures to bring about a meaningful end to any form of agitation only after witnessing large scale violence and destruction of public properties.

Coming to the MEELAL's task of reviving the Central Library, Akaba said a meeting of the body would be convened soon to discuss at length on measures to be taken up in this regard.

However, he hastened to add that he had already suggested contribution of some monetary amount from all the MEELAL members for the cause of revival of the Library.

Akaba made a fervent appeal to the people not to donate books written in Bengali script to the Central Library saying that piling up of such books may hinder the efforts of reviving the indigenous script.

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