An altruistic and simplistic approach to ILP imbroglio

Sarangthem Manaobi (Khoiranthaba) *

ILP : Protest Rally / Sit-In at Moirang/Sendra area on June 22 2016 :: Pix - Shankar Khangembam

All the natives or indigenous people of this state of Manipur (Sanaleipak) are of the same ethnic stock – the Mongoloids, speaking the same Tibeto-Burman sub-group of languages and dialects, having furthermore socio-economic and blood inter-relations among ourselves.

Each and every household of the Hills and the Valley had Ngais (extended household) – Hill Ngai for the valley people and valley Ngai for the hill people.

Ngai-Kaba for the valley dwellers to the hills and Ngai-Kumba for the hill dwellers to the valley till a few years back or even till date in the neighbouring villages, is an example of close friendship, exchanging food items and consumer goods on regular basis.

Khongsai Thabi (Thadou-Kuki Cucumber), Maring Sangbai (Maring Basket), Tangkhul Leirum (Tangkhul Shawl), etc are the catch-words of the Meitei households and folklore. Maring, Tarao and Khongsai Basketery- bamboo and cane products still form the mainstay of the Meitei marriage and religious ceremonies, displaying the intrinsic traditional relationships amongst the natives.

In the days of yore, before the hill-valley divide, which is our own handiwork, ours was a cohesive society, ie equalitarian, classless and casteless. Mao-Maram and Tangkhul ladies were the queens of Manipur from time to time. Notably, Ingallei, queen of Paikhomba, Nungthilchaibi, queen of Pamheiba, from the Mao-Marams and queen Leisana of Pakhangba from the Tangkhuls etc abound in history.

Kabui Tomba, Khram Thadoi, Tekpi Pa, Salang Maiba etc were Maichous (scholars) and courtiers at the King’s court from the hills, alongside those from the valley. Chothe Thangwai Pakhangba, Tangkhul Saram Pakhangba, Wangpurel of the Anals and Phunal Maring Telheiba were all our godly ancestors of the present day divided progeny, whose progenitors were kings, chiefs, army commanders, courtiers and scholars in a cohesive society of a composite animistic culture until the advent of divisions and divides in the recent past.

Hill and valley dwellers, even as descendants of the same ancestry, including the Meitei-Pangals, who were begotten of Meitei ladies are now-a-days pulling apart in different directions, ignoring the good primeval past, but acting on whims of political jugglery and gimmicks like long drawn enemies.

Here comes the question of ILP, the only binding and protective bond of all the natives of the state as enshrined in the Constitution of India under Article 19(5), ie, exercise of reasonable restrictions by the State, if not by the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873, of the old days.

JCILPS and JAC anti-Bills and the Government of Manipur may sit together and discuss over a cup of tea and clear out the differences, contending points, definitions and clauses plaguing the Bills and arrive at an amicable resolution for the good and future of the people of the State. As for example, definitions like “permanent resident”, meaning “a person who ordinarily resides in Manipur” as per the Bill, may be explained and amended suitably to avert ambiguity and intrigues.

“Manipuri people” may be properly defined or inserted wherever necessary to cover all the 34 tribes and the indigenous people-natural born or domiciled in the State based on the cut-off year as may be re-fixed or re-determined to some other date like 1972 in Assam, 1982 in Manipur during the AMSU agitations or any other year as agreed upon by consensus of the contending parties on the basis of National Register of Citizens, Village Directory and Census Report, etc.

Procedural lapses, if any, like bypassing Hill areas Committee in the instant case, etc, be avoided. Ordinary Bills, Financial Bills or Money Bills need be clearly determined, not to invite future tussles and hassles and encumbrances, as this writer vehemently objected to and openly declared in local dailies that the then, introducing Bill is not a Money Bill but purely an ordinary Bill as expressed-ly evident right now.

Proper definitions, little corrections/ amendments/alterations, small insertions, etc may make the Bills see the light of the day from the present dark abyss.

Once outside the state, we are One and united as the Mongoloids, while unfortunately, once inside the state, we are parochial and sectarian and fight amongst ourselves like cocks and hens inside a coop(Polang), fighting to death over a few grains of rice. Let us be free from this Polang mentality.

Let There Be Light (Genesis 1:3) )