IMPHAL, AUGUST 1 (NNN): The position of the 'Gorkha' community in Manipur presented by the United Gorkha Committee (UGM) in Imphal based newspapers has been stiffly challenged by the Liangmai Naga Katimai Ruangdi (LNKR) or All Liangmai Students Union. The Gorkha community has been demanding a "native status" in Manipur vis-a-vis Village Administration Authority from the state government.
Irked by the demand made by the Gorkha community, the apex body of the Liangmai community, Liangmai Naga Council (LNC) had ridiculed such explanation few days ago. Endorsing the position of the LNC, the LNKR asserted that it will thwart the move of the Gorkha body in this regard with all available resources. The LNKR has also strongly condemned the statement of the United Gorkha Committee.
Last month, the Liangmai Naga Council, Manipur (LNC-M) had expressed its strong opposition to the "campaign" carried out by the Nepali community residing in Manipur "asserting themselves as natives of the state and their consequent demand for village administration authority".
According to LNC-M, a good number of Nepalese are "living in Liangmai ancestral land under the so called Sadar Hills areas". The LNC-M stated that, apart from "some strayed individuals" based outside the area that "consistently plant and instigate ideas" to disturb the peaceful existence, the age old landowner-tenant relationship between the native tribal Nagas and Nepalese have been in practice till today.
According to the Liangmai apex body, in the 1930s the then British regime, without consulting the tribal land owners, permitted the Nepalese entry to Irang areas for the limited purpose of grazing for their cattle. The said arrangement was for Nepalese to temporarily stay on payment of grazing tax to the government wherein the villagers of Thonglang were authorized to collect the tax from the Nepali households.
However, the Gorkha apex body maintained that "since time immemorial every community in the state have been living dignity by maintaining cordial relationship with their neighbouring brethren" and asserted that LNC has no moral right to comment on the status of the Gorkha community in Manipur.
