MEELAL's 16th foundation day: Indigenous script belongs to all communities: MEELAL

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Aug 18: MEELAL (Meetei Erol Eyek Loinasillol Apunba Lup) observed its 16th foundation day at GM Hall, Imphal Sunday.
Speaking at the observance which was graced by Titular King Leishemba Sanajaoba, assistant secretary general MEELAL Huirem Loikhomba said that the Manipuri language and script belong to all communities in the State.
"After months of protests, Manipuri indigenous script was included in school syllabus in 2006. The script is now taught at BA level. The movement to save and promote indigenous script has reached this far, but this is not enough as many of the demands MEELAL put before the Government have not been fulfilled so far," he said.
The demands for inclusion of Meetei Mayek in Indian currency note and development of the language to classical level among others are not yet fulfilled, he added urging the Government and MPs to give pressure to the Centre.
The mention of the words "written in Bengali Script' in the Manipur Official Language Act 1979 should be rectified and replaced with "written in Meetei Mayek script", he said.
MEELAL in association with itute learning app is developing a platform to teach Meetei Mayek online to students of Class VI to X, he added.
Titular King Leishemba Sanajaoba in his speech said that the forefathers have 'blessed us with abundant rich land, culture, religion, language and script'. "It is our duty to safeguard and promote these wealth for our own growth and development," he said.
"Books written in Bengali and other scripts should be translated to indigenous script for our future generation to read and gain knowledge. They should be taught value of  the indigenous script and promote its usage to secure our identity," Leishemba said.
The observance was also  attended by Luchingpurel MEELAL Yanglem Biren Meetei, Luchingpurel Meetei National Front Wangambi Leima, MU Manipuri Department Asst Professor Dr Naorem Sanatomba, Advocate Boboraj, chairman KM Blooming Hr Sec School Kh Manjor Mangang, social activist Mutum Churamani and founder Principal Anji Leima Singjakonbi Institute Konthoujam Kuber.