The Manipur state government on Monday lodged a zero FIR at Imphal Police Station against Kuki National Front-Military Council (KNF-MC) for unauthorised changing of the original name of ‘Thangjing’ as ‘Thangting’, stating that it violates the provision of Manipur Names of Places Act, 2024.
Meanwhile, the Committee on Protection of Tribal Areas Manipur (Kuki Hills) had sent a request to the chairperson, National Commission for Schedule Tribe, Delhi on February 15 to repeal the Kanglatongbi-Kangpokpi reserve forest (Kangpokpi District, Churachandpur- Khoupum Protected Forest) and many others.
The committee also appealed to quash or rescind the order for declaration of the sacred site of Ibudhou Thangjing (approximately 4 hectares) located at Thangjing Hill range and sacred site of Lord Koubru (approximately 2 hectares) and Lai Pukhri (approximately 4 Hectares) located at Koubru Hill range as Protected site under section 5 of the Manipur Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1976.
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The zero FIR stated that a photograph circulated in social media showing a gate erected bearing the word, ‘Kuki National Front-Military Council’ with the name of the site mentioned as ‘Thangting’ at a location which appears to be ‘Thangjing Ching’.
Thangjing Hill is a religious pilgrimage site for Meitei/Meetei. However, after the May 3 incident last year, Kukis of the area demolished the shrine and erected a ‘cross’ and renamed it as ‘Mt Olive’.
The FIR lodged by under secretary (Land Resources) government of Manipur, Mangoljao Kamei further mentioned that the present day Thangjing Hill range falls within the Churachandpur-Khoupum
Protected Forest which was notified in 17,09,1966 vide notification no. 55/10/66-M(2) under section 29 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927.
It stated that Thangjing (Thang Ching) is a hill of historical importance and the Art and Culture Department, Government of Manipur has declared it as a protected site under section 4 of the Manipur Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1976 vide gazette no. 376 dated November 14, 2022.
As the erection of the gate bearing the word ‘Kuki National Front-Military Council’ with the name of the site mentioned as ‘Thangting’ indicated an unauthorised changing of the original name of Thangjing, it is the violation of the provision of the Manipur Names and Places Act, 2024 and section 4 of the Manipur Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1976, it stated.
It further requested to register a zero FIR at Imphal Police Station as Thangjing Hill range falls under Henglep Police Station.
Following the zero FIR, the case has been transferred to Khoupum police station, Churachandpur district. The intention of erecting the gate is a criminal conspiracy which could promote enmity between different groups on the ground of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language etc., deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious belief and others, it mentioned.
KNF-MC is a Kuki based insurgent group and also a signatory to the controversial tripartite Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement between some 25 Kuki-Zo insurgent groups and the Centre and the state government. However, the State Government has withdrawn from the tripartite agreement, while the SoO agreement with the Central government also expired in February. It is yet to be confirmed whether the Central government will continue with a bipartite SoO agreement with the outfit or not.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister N Biren Singh raised the issue on his X account with a post that read, “The State Government has immediately taken up measures to book any group or individuals involved in changing existing names of places in the state. Under Manipur Names of Places Act, 2024, a case has also been registered for renaming a part of Thangjing hill range as ‘Thangting.’ (sic).”
