SILCHAR, April 20 � Reacting to the declaration of economic development councils for Bishnupriya, Nath & Muslim fishermen communities by the State government on the eve of Rajya Sabha elections, eight leading Manipuri organisations at a joint press meet recently hailed the move of the government and demanded a similar council for the eight lakh Manipuris living in 13 districts of Assam.
Briefing newsman, Dr M Santi Kumar Singha spokesperson and general secretary of Manipuri Diaspora, Assam said Manipuri-speaking people have been neglected and discriminated and the demand for autonomous development council since 1990 has never been favourably considered.
L Gourababu Singha, member of the Linguistic Minority Development Board, Assam pointed out that a memorandum on the issue along with a charter of other demands was submitted to Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in 2009. He regretted that even a representation made to Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, Minister of Health, Pramila Rani Brahma, Minister, WPT &VC and Bhubaneswar Kalita, president APCC by Dr M Santi Kumar Singha, said that in January this year also didn�t evoke any response. Nor was any word said by the Chief Minister or the ministers concerned as well as people representatives about the interest of indigenous Manipuri�s of the State in the current budget session of the Assembly.
Jayanti Devi, president, All Assam Manipuri Women Meirapaibi Coordination Committee said that the people of their community in the State are utilised as vote banks by the ruling party. Maniapuris she further pointed out, contribute substantially towards the victory of Congress candidates during the election. H Babu Singha, advisor, All Assam Manipuri Students Union was most assertive saying that as the State government continued to gloss over their long pending and legitimate demand for an economic development council, all the social, political bodies as well as NGOs would unite and launch mass agitation for the sake of their democratic and constitutional demand.
S Kamlakanta Singha, chairman of Committee on culture for Peace & Integrity cautioned against the indifferent attitude of the State government towards the Manipuri schools which are suffering due to lack of adequate number of teachers and expressed his displeasure over not filling up of the vacant posts which he said �smacks of a deeper conspiracy against Manipuri schools�. Among other persons present in the press meet were, Abdul Noor, president, All Manipuri Muslim Development Organisation, S Brajakishore Singha, general secretary, Meetei Convention, Dr Bidyachandra Singha member Assam Manipuri Kala Akademy and social worker Abdus Sayeed.
