Chief guest Hotolu Swu and others during the launch programme at Kevijau Colony, Dimapur on April 10.
Dimapur, April 11 (MExN): The Dimapur Meetei Council launched a new ‘Meetei waistcoat’ on April 10, for the purpose of preventing wrong identification of the community in Nagaland.
A launch programme was held in this connection at Kevijau Colony, Dimapur, with SDO (C) Development Hotolu Sema as the chief guest and guests of honours including Dimapur District Citizens Forum President Yibemo Kikon; President of World Meetei Council (Nagaland State Unit) Sharatchandra Thingujam; President of All Assam Manipuri Students Union Ngasekpam Sanahal; Co-convener of North East Indigenous Peoples’ Forum Dr Lima Jamir; Vice-president of GB Sadar Union Dimapur Khole Kafo; State Advisory Board Member, NERC Bishnu Bhattacharjee; State President of BJP Nagaland Minority Morcha Deep Kumar; chairperson of Lower Manipuri Colony, Dimapur Keisam Priyo Kumar; and general Meetei public of Dimapur.
The programme included ramp walks displaying waistcoats and other traditional clothes.
According to a press release issued by DMC President Sarat Thangjam on Monday, the purpose of creating and launching Meetei waistcoat for men is to prevent wrong identification of the community in Nagaland if the present traditional dresses are worn. “There are cases that Meetei men are wrongly identified when they represent with their present traditional dresses with other communities in most occasions. Therefore, we believe that wearing a newly launched Meetei waistcoat with its design, texture and traditional inputs can easily be identified as a Meetei,” it stated.
The release stated that the Council “neither claim that this waistcoat is an original traditional dress nor the present traditional dress for Meetei men is wrong,” while adding that it would not compel any Meetei to wear it. However, it reiterated that the waistcoat was only an attempt to prevent wrong identification of the community.
It further appealed to all the Meetei social organisations and Meetei people of the region and across the borders to accept, adopt, and encourage wearing this waistcoat.
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