IMPHAL, August 17: Various Umanglai Committees, the Umanglai Kanba Apunba Lup (UKAL), civil societies along with several Amaibas and Amaibis have opposed the Govindaji Temple (Third Amendment) Bill, 2014 passed by the Manipur Legislative Assembly on July 25 by terming it “unacceptable”.
The decision to oppose the bill was taken at a meeting convened by UKAL at the Iboyaima Sumang Leela Shanglen.
Some of the resolutions taken during the meeting were: not allowing the enforcement of the provisions of the Amendment Bill in the areas under Umanglai by amending section 2 and section 17 of the Bill, to urge the Governor to reject the Bill within September 10, to take up various steps against the said Bill if the Bill is not rejected or repealed within the given deadline, to preserve and protect Umanglai and to observe July 25 every year as Umanglai Kanba Numit.
UKAL convener Mutumcha Nganba Mangang said that the Umanglai faith can likely to lose its followers after the passing of the Bill during the Manipur Legislative Assembly budget session.
The Govindaji Temple Board is only there to look after the properties and gifts offered by the people and bringing the more ancient Umanglai under it is totally unacceptable, he said.
The said Bill will disturb the peace and tranquility among the communities in the state, Nganba said, not only causing disunity and vitiating our ancient traditions, culture etc but may cause unwanted incidents in the State.