NBMM president spells out unity mantra

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, April 18: Newly elected Nikhil Bishnupriya Manipuri Mahasabha (NBMM) president Anil Singha Gautam spelt out the unity mantra as going gets tough in the community, shattered by lack of unity among its various organizations. He hinted the formation of a body for coordition among various organizations of the community on all vital issues that have much to do for the wellbeing of the community.

Gautam was at Radha-Madhab Sebashram at Maligaon in the city on Sunday when he was felicitated.

“A society can’t be bent by slapping court cases against it or leaders of its organizations. I’m here to ensure equal respect for all community members and organizations. We need to chalk out a way that can straighten disputed issues among all organizations. We can even form a coordition committee to make all organizations work in tandem with one another,” Bishnupriya Manipuri Gasangram Parishad chairman Samir Sinha, who accompanied Gautam in his visit to Guwahati, quoted Gautam as saying at the meeting.

Laying stress on religion and culture as the keys that have been keeping the community together since its exodus from Manipur, Samir Sinha said: “Amidst all adversities our forefathers could make their wards good citizens and educated. When we look at those who have made stride in their respective fields now, we see that their parents were poor with an agrarian background. The question that arises now is: what made them guide their children the right way, and what prevents us from doing that now? This essentially means that by not sticking to our culture and religion, we’ve let our children go astray. The expanse of the Mahasabha is vast. Why don’t we exploit this vastness to get important purposes of the community served better, and carve out a niche for the community? We need to strengthen the Mahasabha even though we’re separate as organizations.”

The president of the meeting and former MLA Kartik Se Sinha appealed to the members of the community not to be proud individually, but to strive to be proud as a community.           

NBMM vice president Ranjit Sinha and Bishnupriya Manipuri Writers’ Forum president Dils Lakshmindra Sinha, Kollol Kiriti, Bishnupriya Manipuri Ex-servicemen’s Association leader Chandra Kanta Rajkumar and others also spoke on the occasion.