Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, July 27 2009:
Speaker of the Manipur Assembly has today referred the petition for discussion of the demolition of Ebudhou Pakhangba sculpture at Marjing Cheeng Hannaba Cheeng by unknown miscreants to the Assembly Petition Committee.
The petition was laid on the floor of the House by opposition MLA, O Joy.
The petition sent to the Manipur Assembly by the Hanna Cheeng Marjing Kol Pakhangba Laishna Kanba Lup (Hanpak Lai Kan Lup) has requested the government to take befitting action against the defacement of Pakhangba's sculpture by unknown miscreants.
The petition urged for the arrest of the scoundrels and to demolish the houses built near the Marjing Cheeng who encroached the areas.
It also urged the government to preserve the sacred hill by declaring the area as an ecological park under the Historical Monument and Ancient Act.
The petition further requested for the change of the name of the hill to Pakhangba Khubam, Laishna Khubam, Pakhangsoi, Maichou Taret Khubam, Marjing Khubam and Tolong Khongba Khubam.
The petitioned also recalled that the hill has been preserved by the indigenous religion followers against the backdrop of the wave of Hinduism since 1943 .
Against this backdrop the sculpture of Ebudhou was demolished and the same was dropped in a pond on May 8 this year.
The petition added that at the place where the sculpture was demolished, inscriptions reading 'the land has been given to the Muslim by the Jagor' and 'it belongs to Allah' were inscribed.
The inscription further read that 'worshipping 'lai' (god) is worshiping devil.' Imprint in Arabic � La Ilha Hilleloi, Muhamad-Rasululai - were also engraved.
Urging the government to protect and preserve the 'minority Meitei' culture and religion, the petition also urged the government to safeguard their interest under Articles 144, 338 and 339 (Schedule Tribe status) of the Indian Constitution.