Umanglai Kanba Apunba Lup (UKAL) and Maichou Ningsing Lup jointly demanded the Manipur government not to demolish the temple of Ima Shemoinu located at Langol Game Village while constructing a government quarter by department of Planning Development and Authority (PDA).

In a press conference held at Manipur Press Club on Tuesday, UKAL convenor Maniton Mutum said that there are many religious spots in Langol areas that have existed since time immemorial.

These primitive religious sites are closely associated with culture and religion of the state particularly for the Meitei community. However, the demolition of the Ima Shemoinu Temple by PDA for construction of a government quarter is highly condemnable, he said.

He further said that they welcome the construction work, but constructing the quarter within the jurisdiction of said temple by demolishing it is not at all acceptable. When the state government has taken up the initiative to preserve all religious sites of Manipur, the demolishing of the said temple is very unfortunate, he maintained.  

While appealing to the state government to draw attention in this regard, he said that they would not tolerate any more if the PDA continued with their construction work. The state government should take the matter seriously, or else agitations will be launched, he said. He also sought support from people of the state to preserve these age-old religious sites.