IMPHAL, May 12 (NNN): The government of Manipur has crores of rupees even for the animals in the Iroisemba zoo, but no fund for the development of the 35 tribal languages of the state, lamented writer Ragongning Gangmei.
He was speaking at the book release program me of his book titled “State Apathy of Tribal Languages in Manipur” today at Manipur Press Club, Imphal.
He said that diversity in language and culture is the beauty of Manipur which has 38 communities out of which 35 are tribals.
The writer stated that tribals do not have any sense of belonging to the state due to the apathy of tribal languages by the government of Manipur. He alleged that the government has no fund for printing tribal language books for students, but it has fund for printing English, Hindi and Manipuri books.
Tribal language books for school students are printed mostly by the concerned tribal literature societies at their own expenses, said Gangmei.
President of All Manipur Working Journalists Union (AMWJU) and editor of local daily Sanaleibak A. Mobi, speaking as the chief guest of the programme said that government of Manipur is a team of contractors who are unaware of the aspiration of the people of the state and whose sense of priority is not in line with the priority of the people and the situation.
Giving examples, A. Mobi said that the longest bridge in the state is built at Sugnu, a remote and thinly populated area, while the conditions of many bridges on the national highways are in deplorable conditions.
He also highlighted the traffic regulation in Imphal which do not allow vehicles inside the market area for public, but which do not apply to vehicles with flag posts and red lights.
The book release programme was also attended by the editor of local daily Hueiyen Lanpao (English) Satyajit Usham and S. Mangi Singh, former academic officer & deputy secretary, Board of Secondary Education Manipur, as president and special invitee respectively.