The District Magistrate, Imphal East, has issued a temporary permit for three hours only on August 20 for the observation of the Manipuri Language Day. The permit was issued on August 17 to L. Sharatchandra, Convener of the State-level Manipuri Language Celebration Committee. The permit shall be valid from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on August 20.
Manipuri is one of the oldest languages in India. Recently, the titular king of Manipur, Leishemba Sanajaoba who the lone Rajya Sabha MP from Manipur, had urged the House to recognise it as a classical language. Manipuri is the lingua franca of the State. Special invitees from Manipuri diaspora in the Northeast, Bangladesh and Myanmar, who have carved a niche in Manipuri literature, will participate in the function.
However, the permit has 11 terms and conditions that have to be observed strictly, failing which the permit can be cancelled without any prior notice. In the short function, nobody is allowed to speak or display any banner with “anti-national and anti-social words”.
Language activists are taken aback by the conditions imposed for the first time. Such conditions have never been imposed in the past. One activist said, “There will be no hue and cry since the Manipuri language was included in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution on August 20, 1992”. This was also when the Nepali and Konkani languages were included in the 8th Schedule
Narrating the long language movement Mr. Sharachandra said, “During our long struggle, we got support from many circles, including national leaders.” Referring to the conditions imposed for the first time, he said, “Sensible people will laugh it. Such a wrong step should not have been taken up since it’s a language recognised by the Constitution.”
