IT News
Imphal, Dec.21
Chief Minister N. Biren Singh has said that there is need for mutual respect among different communities and equal development to maintain unity in the State. He was speaking as the chief guest at the Diamond Jubilee Celebration of Namdunlong village in Imphal East District today.
N. Biren Singh said that there have been immense positive changes in the hill-valley bond in the past two and a half years. Now, people have no hesitation and apprehension in visiting or staying at any part of the State, the Chief Minister said, and added that people should never allow themselves to get carried away by any bad influence, which may undermine the age-old fraternal bond in the days to come as well.
Reminding the centuries-old relation between Kabui and Meitei communities, the Chief Minister said that the machete held by Kabui men in performing their traditional dance is used by the Meitei community as well in their Lai Haraoba ceremonies. It indicates that the two indigenous communities share common ancestry and have unbreakable blood relation, the Chief Minister observed and added that nobody can forget Kabui Salang Maiba’s story passed down from generation to generation in Manipur’s folklore.
Regarding Indo-Naga peace talks, the Chief Minister urged one and all to pray for a peaceful and honourable solution acceptable to all. As a Manipuri, the Chief Minister said, he does not want to see the State getting disintegrated in any manner. Stating that there is nobody in the world, who has not committed any mistake in his/her lifetime, the Chief Minister urged the public to adopt the spirit of forgetting past mistakes and forgiving fellow beings so that different communities may reside together harmoniously as in the past. Stating that conflict and enmity won’t bring anything good, the Chief Minister said that sacred books of every religion preach people not to harm anybody because life is so precious.
Regarding Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019, the Chief Minister clarified that the Act is not anti-Muslim, and added that there would be no impact on the citizenship of Muslim brothers and sisters of this country. The Act simply aspires to provide citizenship to the persecuted minorities coming from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, he added. As there was apprehension in people’s mind that the State would witness large influx of migrants if CAA is applicable in Manipur, the State Government requested the Centre to include a protection clause for the State, the Chief Minister said. Fortunately, the Centre decided to extend Inner Line Permit (ILP) system to Manipur thereby excluding the State from the purview of the Act, he added.
Maintaining that there have been many developmental changes in different parts of the State including interior areas like Tamenglong and Tamei in the past two and a half years, the Chief Minister said that Manipur would become a developed State only when people allow the Government to keep on this momentum in the days to come as well. As such, there is need to extend cooperation to the Government and help maintain peace and understanding, N. Biren observed.
Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency MP Dr. R.K. Ranjan, Tamenglong AC MLA Samuel Jendai and Wangkhei AC MLA Okram Henry also attended the function as dignitaries.
Earlier, N. Biren Singh opened the two-day Diamond Jubilee celebration by lighting torch and hoisting village flag. Traditional dance and music were presented as part of the celebration. The dignitaries also released a souvenir published in connection with the celebration.
