IT News
Imphal, July 8,
The series of events at which some of the Meitei Pangal were found involved in the radical movement of the Pan Islamism showed that some among the Meitei Pangal now actively working for the Pan Islamic movement, a statement jointly signed by the Chairman N. Oken and Vice Chairman Ksh Laba said in a statement.
The statement further added that the Radical Pan Islamic movement has been given serious effect to the indigenous Meitei Pangal of the state. Elaborating on the issue of identity , the statement said that the ethnic identity of the Meitei Pangal is that On the identity of the Meitei pangal, the statement said that since the arrival of the Pangal till 1970 /1980, the Meitei Pangal consider their ethnic identity as priority. As they follow Islam they called Muslim by themselves but they always consider their ethnic pangal identity as more important.
Those days Meitei pangal and Meitei enjoyed good relationship.
They have friends from Meitei community and share moment at time of family ceremony or rituals. Dresses during cultural function were very similar between the Meitei and the pangal, names were similar with the Meitei and the Meitei pangal. There was no question of communal riots among the two communities.
But today there are much changes seen. The Pangal locality are seen like only for the pangal where no other community could entered which is similar to ‘ghetto’. This was not provoke the majority Meitei but is a self ghettoization , the statement by ASUK said.
These days the Meitei pangal consider their identity as muslim rather then their ethnic identity. The Meitei pangal separated themselves from their ethnic brothers – then Naga, Meitei and the Kuki Chin and consider all Muslim as one. Some of the Meitei pangal now use the word kafir instead of saying that we are one. Kafir in old Muslim language are those following the Islam. However, those Meitei pangal residing at Bangladesh are more ethnic pangal then those staying here.
Thus the Islamic politics now is giving serious impact to the Meitei pangal.
