IMPHAL, July 22: The unabated public outcry against the State Cabinet’s decision to take over the Royal Palace Sana Konung has completed 30 days with today.
Intensifying the movement, the Manipur Inaat Kanba Lup (MIKL) along with women vendors of Kombirei Keithel today staged a sit-in-protest decrying the government’s decision at Sana Konung.
The sit-in-protest which started from 9 am continued upto 3 pm.
The MIKL demonstration was also participated by representatives of Manipur State Shumang Leela Council, Theatre Centre, Manipur and All Manipur Arts and Culture Students’ Union (AMACSU).
Speaking to media persons on the sidelines of the protest, renowned theatre director Wareppa Naba opined that the administrative power and other privileges entitled to the King of the palace was dismissed by the Manipur Merger Agreement which was inked in 1949, September.
He further said that afterwards the due power was rested upon the democratic form of government but its complete customary law of the State should stay only with the king.
Stating that the government’s move to hold talk with representatives of Sana Konung in order to take over the palace would tantamount to another merger agreement, he said that the decision of the government is not acceptable to the people of the State.
The organisations would welcome the government’ plan to renovate the Sana Konung but to shift the titular king to another place and to convert the royal palace into a museum is totally unacceptable, he maintained.
He went on to say that the king of Manipur is still alive and that the Sana Konung should keep like a “Living Palace’’ and added that the royal palace is the birthplace of the State’s art, culture, and religious rituals.
