The recently started winter session of the Parliament has seen remarkable voices to safeguard Manipur’s linguistic and religious heritage. The two Members of Parliament from the state have simultaneously raised long-pending demands in both Houses of Parliament, highlighting the urgency of recognising the distinct identity of the Meitei community.
In the Lok Sabha on December 1, Inner Manipur MP Prof. Dr. Angomcha Bimol Akoijam written Unstarred question number 152 to the Minister of Culture on the steps being taken to confer Classical Language status on Manipuri (Meiteilon). Describing Meiteilon as one of the most ancient and advanced languages of India belonging to the Tibeto-Burmese family, the MP referred to endorsements by eminent linguist and Constituent Assembly member Dr. Suniti Kumar Chatterjee.
In a written reply, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat replied that the Ministry of Culture examines detailed proposals from state governments for classical language status, but “no proposal from the Government of Manipur has been received in this regard so far.”
A day later, on December 2, Rajya Sabha MP and titular king of Manipur Maharaja Leishemba Sanajaoba renewed the decades-old demand for a separate religion code for the indigenous Sanamahi (Sanamahism) faith in the national census.
Speaking in the Upper House, Sanajaoba emphasised that Sanamahi is one of the oldest organised indigenous religions with its own complete system of worship, scriptures, rituals and philosophy. He argued that continuing to club Sanamahi followers under the vague “Others/ORP” category amounts to misrepresentation and gradual erasure of a living cultural and religious identity.
The Rajya Sabha MP urged the Centre to immediately introduce a distinct religion code ahead of the next census, stressing that such recognition is essential for protecting the constitutional rights, demographic visibility and cultural survival of Sanamahi adherents, especially in the context of ongoing challenges faced by indigenous faiths in the Northeast.
Notably, both demands — Classical Language status for Meiteilon and a separate religion column for Sanamahi — have been unanimously adopted by the Manipur Legislative Assembly in the past and enjoy widespread support across Meitei civil society organisations.
With the next census preparations underway and the classical language criteria already expanded in 2024, both issues are likely to gain fresh momentum in the coming months.
Signpost News is an Imphal-based media house that focuses on delivering news and views from Northeast India and beyond.