The Manipur Students’ Association Delhi (MSAD) has strongly condemned the move of “the dominant attitude of RSS oriented government of Manipur” to introduce Sanskrit in the curriculum of schools and colleges in Manipur, calling it “an attempt to enslave the people of Manipur academically and linguistically in furthering India’s process of colonialism”.
A press statement issued on Friday contended that Sanskrit texts were “too malicious to be taught to the students of Manipur where not a single word of it was inherited to the mother tongue of the indigenous people”. The statement also pointed out that the government’s decision revealed its “stupidity” which was rife with “hatred, rime, untouchability, sexism, domination, chauvinism” of the upper caste Hindu Brahmins.
In a full-throated note MSAD objected to the imposition of “an alien language” as it was completely a “sign of colonization”. The MSAD statement also cited that there are about 30 dialects spoken by the indigenous people of Manipur which are on the brink of extinction lest imperative measures are taken to protect their existence. It also noted that the government had turned blind eye to such exigency, but rather had become “obedient enough to be acceptable to their colonial master” whom the statement termed “the Indian empire’s upper caste Hindu Brahmins….”
Calling the BJP-led government in Manipur “puppet regime submissive to the Brahmins” MSAD rejected the “highly condemnable” announcement of the Education Minister, S. Rajen Singh. It could be recalled that Rajen made the announcement during his ministerial team visit at the Sanatan Sanskrit Vidyalaya, Charhajare in Kangpokpi district, Manipur on 19 November.
The statement then alluded the historical phase of “Shantidash Goshai who brought turmoil to the indigenous folks of the 18th century Manipur,” and cautioned that the present regime would be no difference “if it is allowed to continue the alike venomous activities”. In solidarity with the people, Kenedy Moirangthem, Organization Secretary, MSAD, appealed to “all forward groups to stand against their strategy of converting Manipuri society into a Hinduised (sic) society and systematically enslaving the people in the box of colonialism”.
About The Author
