Manipuri language misses classical status due to state government negligence, claims MEELAL

The Meetei Erol Eyek Loinasillol Apunba Lup (MEELAL), an organisation dedicated to preserving and promoting the Manipuri language, has accused the Manipur state government of negligence in the pursuit of classical language status for Manipuri.

MEELAL president Khaidem Ingocha Meetei stated in a press conference that the state government's failure to submit necessary recommendations to the central government resulted in Manipuri's exclusion from the recent expansion of India's classical language list.

The statement comes after five languages - Assamese, Bengali, Marathi, Pali, and Prakrit - were newly designated as classical languages, bringing India's total to eleven. Meetei argued that Manipuri could have been among them had the state government shown more interest in the matter.

MEELAL's investigation revealed that the absence of required documentation was the primary reason for Manipuri's omission. The organisation acknowledged the efforts of Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba in advocating for Manipuri's inclusion but emphasised the crucial role of state-level action.

Meetei urged the Manipur government to avoid such oversights in the future and take immediate steps to submit the necessary recommendations to the central government, ensuring Manipuri's consideration for classical language status in upcoming reviews.