UKHRUL: The All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM) has strongly opposed the recent pronouncement by Meetei Erol Eyek Loinasillol Apunba Lup (MEELAL) mandating the compulsory inscription of vehicle registration numbers in Meetei Mayek script across the state.
In a statement, ANSAM described the directive as an “imposition” that is illogical in reasoning, constitutionally unsound in substance and democratically indefensible in principle. The Association asserted that in a constitutional democracy governed by the rule of law, no organisation can assume the authority to enforce the linguistic identity of one community upon the broader population.
Highlighting Manipur’s plural social fabric, ANSAM noted that the state is home to numerous indigenous communities, each with its own linguistic heritage and cultural identity. It argued that imposing a single script across communities undermines the constitutional guarantees of equality, cultural freedom and dignity. Such a move, the Association stated, risks disturbing the delicate balance necessary for peaceful coexistence in a diverse society.
The student body further expressed concern that the state continues to face a fragile situation marked by tensions rooted in perceptions of cultural domination. Reviving and advancing a contentious directive at this juncture, it said, could deepen misunderstandings and aggravate communal divisions.
ANSAM maintained that it would not accept any demand it considers unconstitutional or detrimental to the rights and identity of the Naga and other tribal communities. Cultural affirmation, it stated, must not translate into coercive imposition.
The Association has urged the Government of Manipur to intervene at the earliest, prevent what it termed unconstitutional measures, and uphold constitutional principles of justice, plurality and equal citizenship to ensure that the prevailing situation does not deteriorate further.