Imphal, November 14: Taking a serious note of a Thabal Chongba organised by the Manipur Culture Development Association, Bangalore at Nandlal Football Ground, Austin Town on November 10, the proscribed KYKL today said that the event was nothing but presenting the culture of Manipur in a vulgar manner to the outside world.

In a statement issued to the press today, the outfit said that the named association is formed by students of Manipur in Bangalore and the Thabal Chongba was organised as part of a Culture and Sports Meet.

The Thabal Chongba was an eye sore to anyone who loves and cherishes the culture of Manipur, said the outfit and added that it amounted to selling the culture of Manipur to others.

The event conveyed the wrong notion that the Manipuri people are an uncivilised lot with no moral values and social mores, asserted the outfit and added that the dresses worn by the girls were also an eye sore.

Most of them were dressed in hot pants and teeny weeny tops, it added.

Even when the youngsters were taking a break from the Thabal Chongba, the girls and boys could be seen holding hands and leaning against each other, which is totally against the accepted social practise of the people.

As the event was organised by the named association, its president Ningombam Somen of Wangjing and secretary Kangbam Krishna should surrender by November 20 or else they will be punished, it warned.

The outfit further said that the event was organised purely for financial gains and explained that a sum of Rs 70 was charged per head.

Around 700/800 people were present.

Even if there were only 700 people, the total amount works out Rs 49,000, said KYKL and added that they must have made a neat profit given the fact that even the light system was very poor at the Thabal Chongba ground.

Urging parents to keep a sharp look out on the conduct of their children, the outfit said that parents and guardians should not rest contented just by sending their children and wards to study outside Manipur.

At least 80 pc of the students sent outside Manipur return home a spoilt lot.

Pharmacies are ready to sell drugs and tablets to the students from Manipur because it does not harm their kids, said KYKL and added that at least 50 pc of the students at Bangalore have motor cycles, which are not needed at all.

Parents should also take care to see that they do not ply their children with excess amount of money.

Why do so many youngsters from Manipur prefer to go to Brigade Road in Bangalore and why do they spend their evenings in the parks, questioned KYKL.

The harassment meted out to girls from Manipur in Delhi has touched the raw nerve of the people here and there is no guarantee that organising such a Thabal Chongba will not encourage the people in Bangalore or South India to follow suit, it reasoned.

The KYKL will not remain silent spectators when the culture of besmirched by students or anyone outside the State, said the statement.

Henceforth, KYKL has banned organising Thabal Chongba in other parts of India by students from Manipur.

The students can learn the positive aspects of westernisation, but the minute they start aping their sartorial taste such as skimpy outfits, then it would sound the death knell of society, KYKL predicted.

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