SENAPATI, Feb 25: The All Naga Students’ Association Manipur (ANSAM) has strongly opposed the recent directive issued by the Meetei Erol Eyek Loinasilloi Apunba Lup (MEELAL) mandating the compulsory inscription of vehicle registration numbers in Meetei Mayek script across Manipur.
In a press communique issued on February 25, ANSAM recorded what it described as its “most vehement and categorical repudiation” of the pronouncement. The Association termed the directive an “egregious imposition — illogical in reasoning, constitutionally infirm in substance, and democratically indefensible in principle,” asserting that it represents not a cultural renaissance but “coercive particularism.”
The statement maintained that in a constitutional polity governed by the supremacy of law, no organisation may assume the authority to enforce the linguistic emblem of one community upon the entirety of a plural and heterogeneous society. It emphasised that Manipur is an “intricate civilisational mosaic,” inhabited by numerous indigenous communities, each possessing its own linguistic heritage and cultural sovereignty.
According to ANSAM, the imposition of a singular script upon all communities constitutes a direct affront to identity, dignity and constitutional guarantees safeguarding equality and cultural freedom. The Association further contended that such unilateral insistence undermines the federal spirit and erodes the delicate equilibrium necessary for democratic coexistence.
Referring to the prevailing situation in the state, ANSAM stated that Manipur remains in a condition of acute fragility, having endured “manifold unwanted and grievous incidents rooted in perceptions of cultural domination.” It described the advancement of the directive at the present juncture as “profoundly injudicious,” warning that it risks deepening communal fissures and jeopardising the already fragile peace process.
The Association unequivocally declared that it would not acquiesce to what it termed any illogical or unconstitutional demand from any organisation or community that infringes upon the inalienable rights and collective identity of the Nagas and the tribal populace. It cautioned that should any adverse consequences arise from the implementation of the directive, MEELAL must bear the moral and civic responsibility for the ramifications of its unilateral action.
ANSAM has urged the Government of Manipur to intervene immediately, restrain what it described as unconstitutional impositions, and uphold the constitutional principles of justice, plurality and coequal citizenship to prevent further deterioration of the situation.
