Punished those who dumped rubbish around temple, illegal immigrants fuelling communal tension: Meitei Leipun

A day after Meitei Leepun Chief Pramot Singh opened fire in public over a contentious land dispute in Imphal, the Meitei Leepun in a press statement on December 18 highlighted their commitment to the cleanliness and sanctity of religious sites, citing a prolonged land dispute around two Mandirs in Khurai Telipati. The dispute, currently pending in court, has escalated as illegal encroachers allegedly continue to dump garbage and use the area as a parking lot.

According to the press release, the Meitei Leepun claims to have regularly cleaned the area and issued warnings to offenders, including individuals of Meitei, Muslim, and Bihari backgrounds. Despite complaints to authorities such as the police, DC, and local MLA, the Meitei Leepun alleges that no action has been taken, leading to their intervention to educate the community.

The press release also cautions against turning the incident into a religious communal issue, asserting that the focus should be on the ground reality. The Meitei Leepun accuses illegal immigrants, allegedly lacking Indian citizenship and violating NRC guidelines, of attempting to create a communal narrative. They express concern over non-Indian individuals involving themselves in Manipur affairs and tarnishing the image of Meitei Leepun.

The Meitei Leepun warned those unfamiliar with the internal issues in the area, cautioning them to stay away from the state's internal affairs. The Meitei Leepun asserts that they took punitive action against residents only to prevent provocative acts.