The foundation of Meitei groups said that Thangjing Hill is one of the most revered pilgrimage sites for the Meiteis and home to Ibudhou Thangjing, Manipur’s guardian deity
Union Home Minister Amit Shah.(Image: Twitter)
Guwahati: The Meitei Heritage Welfare Foundation (MHWF) has sought Union home minister Amit Shah’s immediate intervention to ensure Meitei pilgrims’ access to the sacred Thangjing Hill in Churachandpur district, which has been hit by ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities.
In a memorandum addressed to Shah, the MHWF cited threats and intimidation against Meitei pilgrims by Kuki-Zo women’s groups. Thangjing Hill, revered as the abode of Ibudhou Thangjing — a guardian deity for the Meiteis — has long been a pilgrimage site during the community’s Cheiraoba (New Year). The foundation claimed that pilgrims were prevented from visiting the hill on Monday, in alleged defiance of a Union home ministry directive that guaranteed free movement across the state starting March 8.
Highlighting the presence of armed militants near the hilltop, the MHWF said it has submitted video footage and other documentation to substantiate these claims. The foundation compared the blockade to denying Hindus access to Kailash Parbat or preventing Muslims from visiting Mecca, calling it a “blatant violation of constitutional rights and an attack on Meitei religious freedom.”
Drawing attention to a broader pattern of obstruction, the MHWF pointed out that Meitei Hindus have been unable to visit other pilgrimage sites for the past two years due to frequent highway blockades. It contended that the threats over accessing Thangjing Hill are not just a law-and-order issue but a deliberate provocation to incite unrest, alleging lax enforcement of constitutional rights despite the ongoing President’s Rule in Manipur and the deployment of over 1,00,000 security personnel.
The memorandum also urged the Centre to take action against militant groups and their supporters obstructing pilgrimages, and to deploy sufficient security forces around Thangjing Hill to maintain peace. “The Government of India must now decide whether it will uphold the Constitution and the rights of its citizens, or allow intimidation by armed groups to override the rule of law,” stated the MHWF, which also submitted its petition to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla.
Earlier, six Kuki-Zo groups issued a statement warning Meitei pilgrims against entering the area unless the Union government reached a settlement with the Kuki-Zo community under the Constitution.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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