Imphal, February 26 2009: The Umang lai Kanba Apunba Lup has warned of taking re-course to various intense agitation if the recent State Cabinet decision of handing over all the matters related to Umang Lai Haoraoba to Shri Shri Govindajee Temple Board is not withdrawn.

Addressing a press conference in this connection at Manipur Press Club here this afternoon, convenor of Umang Lai Kanba Apunba Lup, M Maniton informed that a joint meeting along with experts on Umang Lai and Shri Shri Govindajee would be held in the morning of March 1 at Kangla Hall, Imphal and adopt a resolution on prevailing upon the Government to withdraw decision of the State Cabinet.

Asserting that there are historical elements in the rituals of the Umang Lai Haraoba which are also related to kingship, Maniton observed that even if the Government is living under the assumption that there is no more King in Manipur, the people still believe in the existence of kingship and all the rituals of the Umang Lai Haraoba are being perfor-med along with due respect to the existing kingship.

It appears that the Cabinet Ministers do not have any knowledge in this regard, Maniton said, while pointing out that the Article II and VI of the Merger Agreement has clearly enumerated that religious and other customary rights are to be performed under the guidance of the king.

Under the existing kingship and its institution, many Amaibas and Amaibis are being giving necessary training on Umang Lai Haraoba and the Amaibas and Amaibis were forbidden from attending service of Shri Shri Govindajee.

This shows that there is a big gap between the Umang Lai and the Govindajee.

So handing over all the matters related to Umang Lai to the Shri Govindajee Temple Board would unnecessarily incite communal unrest among the people, Maniton maintained.

While appealing to all the experts of Umang Lai and Govindajee to take part in the meeting being convened at Kangla Hall on March 1, Maniton informed that a resolution to the effect of exerting pressures on the Government for withdrawing its Cabinet decision would be adopted during the meeting.

In case the Government fails to act on the resolution, then the Umang Lai Kanba Apunba Lup would be constraint to launch various intense agitations against the Government, he warned.

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