Colonial mindset of the people still exist among the people – Prof. MC Arun

IT News
Imphal, Sept 21:

The Lamyanba Irabot Ningsing Thouram observation committee (LINTOC) observed Lamyanba Irabot Ningsing thouram at the theme “Phurupshing mari amasung manipurigi tunglamchat” under the aegis of the Protection and Preservation Committee (PPCM) at Singjamei community hall.
During the observance, Prof. McArun expressed that enmities among the various communities were the outcome of the British colonial rule who were connected after 7 years of devastation in Manipur. The colonial mindset was injected by the British. This mindset has changed the thinking process of each community, making each and every person assume that “the grass is greener on the other side.”
The idea of Lamgi Sanna Machi Sangee (the grass is greener on the other side) was groomed among our community after the coming of the British colonial rule in the past 7 years of devastation in Manipur.
What matters is that the colonial mindset of the time has not been de-colonized.
It does not matter if one artificially merges Manipur into another; it is also everybody’s right to make sure that we have a democratically elected government. But what needs to be pondered is how to remove the colonial mindset from each of us. This was because the colonial mindset had taught us that we were not the owners of our own land. People have almost been hypnotised to accept the idea that they have the right to think freely and act accordingly for the good of society.
Weightage is given to those various forms outside the state. Many today blame Santidas Gosai, but how many Shantidas Gosai are there? Today, we have lost our courage to question this, and this has led all of us to consider our neighbours as enemies.
Khonthoujam Thoiba, Convenor PPCM, told the media that he remembered the work of Irabot, the memorial of Hijam Irbabot, and its constituent organisations for many years. Irabot stands out alone as the one and only leader who fought for the toiling, oppressed mass. He was a poet, a dramatist, a journalist, and a revolutionary to the core. In the modern politics of Manipur, Irabot is a legend. A leader had waged a political war against British colonial rule and then, later, against the feudalistic nature of the Maharajah and the ruling capitalist class of Manipur and later against the Union of India.
The observation was attended by Maibam Bishesor, convenor PPCM, Khonthoujam Thoiba, convenor of the Lamyanba Irabot ningsing thouram observation committee(LINTOC), Kh Gopen Luwang, co-convenor (LINTOC), Ashang Kasar, President Indigenous Peoples Forum, Ahmang Serto, President Komaren Union Manipur, and Alhal Anshad Besheimayum, co-convenor of the Maipak Ningthou committee as praesidium members . During the observance, Prof Mc Arun, Department of Anthropology, Manipur University, Dr Thiyam Bhorot, Associate Professor (CSSEIP) , Kakchingtabam Gunachandra, Consultant Irabot Foundation Manipur, and Prof N Joykumar, Retd Prof, Department of History, Manipur University, as resource persons.

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