Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 25:
Holding placards with slogans like 'Know culture, know Manipur', members of Manipur State Kala Akademi Employees' Association staged Wakat Meepham at the Akademi complex today.
The agitation was staged to protest decision of the State Government to shift the Akademi office from its present location at Khuman Lampak to Palace Compound.
Talking to media persons on the sideline of the demonstration, Association secretary Ch Nandakumar said though setting up a sports academy in Manipur is welcomed, the order of the State Govt to remove the Akademi, in existence even before the sport complex at Khuman Lampak was established, within 24 hours is unacceptable.
It seems Govt do not understand and respect value of art and culture of its people, Nandakumar expressed.
He said the Akademi is an autonomous organisation and was established in 1972 with the main objective of promoting Manipuri culture having all the elements of Sangeet Kala, Sahitya and Lalit Kala.
A sum of Rs 4.50 crores had been sanctioned for setting up a cultural complex under Union Ministry of Human Resources, Department of Culture, Out of the sanctioned amount Rs 2.60 crores had been released for the first phase and efforts are being made for construction of multipurpose cultural complex.
So in such a juncture, shifting the State Kala Akademi Palace Compound which has only a, land area of 2 acre is unreasonable.
Since the multipurpose cultural complex is to set up within the complex of Manipur State Kala Akademi, the allotment of 2 acres for shifting the Akademi to Palace compound is not acceptable, Nandakumar said.
The Akademi would be needing at least 3,5 acres of lahfr and the same should be located within the town, he further explained.