‘Add Sanamahi faith in Census count’
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By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Dec 2 : Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba has urged the Government to recognize Sana- mahism, the indigenous faith of the Meeteis, as a distinct religion during the forthcoming Census operation.
Raising the issue through a special mention during the ongoing winter session of Parliament today, the BJP MP drew the attention of the House on the need of introducing a dedicated code or column for Sanamahism in the Census excercise.
The MP informed the House that the Manipur Legislative Assembly had, on August 5, 2022, unanimously passed a resolution to recognise Sanamahism as a distinct religion and the same was subsequently forwarded to the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India for necessary action.
A similar resolution was also taken by the State Assembly in 2002 and 2003.
He emphasised that every Meetei household worships Sanamahi (Lainingthou Sanamahi) as the guardian deity of the family since time immemorial.
Sanamahism is the indigenous faith of the Meetei people, he said and added that recognising it as a separate religion in the Census is the long-standing aspiration of the entire community.
Stating that the Lainingthou Sanamahi Temple Board, Uttra Shanglen, Sana Konung, prominent scholars, civil society organisations, and community leaders have been urging the Central Government to recognise Sanamahism as a distinct religion, he pointed out that the absence of a separate code for Sanamahism in the Census has led to a serious misrepresentation of the religious identity of its followers.
Notably, the Lainingthou Sanamahi Temple Board, on September 17, 2025, submitted a memorandum to the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, urging the introduction of a separate code for Sanama-hism in the coming Census.
IMPHAL, Dec 2 : Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba has urged the Government to recognize Sana- mahism, the indigenous faith of the Meeteis, as a distinct religion during the forthcoming Census operation.
Raising the issue through a special mention during the ongoing winter session of Parliament today, the BJP MP drew the attention of the House on the need of introducing a dedicated code or column for Sanamahism in the Census excercise.
The MP informed the House that the Manipur Legislative Assembly had, on August 5, 2022, unanimously passed a resolution to recognise Sanamahism as a distinct religion and the same was subsequently forwarded to the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India for necessary action.
A similar resolution was also taken by the State Assembly in 2002 and 2003.
He emphasised that every Meetei household worships Sanamahi (Lainingthou Sanamahi) as the guardian deity of the family since time immemorial.
Sanamahism is the indigenous faith of the Meetei people, he said and added that recognising it as a separate religion in the Census is the long-standing aspiration of the entire community.
Stating that the Lainingthou Sanamahi Temple Board, Uttra Shanglen, Sana Konung, prominent scholars, civil society organisations, and community leaders have been urging the Central Government to recognise Sanamahism as a distinct religion, he pointed out that the absence of a separate code for Sanamahism in the Census has led to a serious misrepresentation of the religious identity of its followers.
Notably, the Lainingthou Sanamahi Temple Board, on September 17, 2025, submitted a memorandum to the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, urging the introduction of a separate code for Sanama-hism in the coming Census.