Imphal: The Pangal Kanba Lup, Manipur has said that Md. Rees Ahamed Tampak’s representation of the Meitei/Meetei Pangal community’s voice is concerning in an interview he gave with Karan Thapar for The Wire on August 19, 2023. The Pangal Kanba Lup, Manipur in a press release issued on August 19 said he [Md. Rees Ahamed Tampak] “seems to be aligned more with government interests than as a genuine member of our Pressure Group.”
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Stating that Md. Rees Ahamed Tampak current approach does not accurately reflect the sentiments of the Meitei Pangal community during this crisis, the Lup urged Karan Thapar to seek a more authentic perspective on the crisis from someone other than Raees Ahmed, who, it said, “appears to be pursuing his own agenda rather than truly representing our community.”
“Our community is already facing challenges, and having someone who exacerbates the situation is not helpful,” the organisation underscored.
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Further, the Pangal Kanba Lup, Manipur said, “Raees Ahamed Tampak’s self-proclaimed activism seems to have taken a self-centered turn, using our community’s name for personal gains. In the past, he contributed to divisive politics within our community, and now he’s exploiting the situation for popularity and personal advantage. This behavior is regrettable, especially during these times of violence and difficulty. It’s our hope that he refrains from misrepresenting our community again.”
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It then said, “Amidst the ongoing violence and the attempts by both sides to manipulate narratives, it’s disheartening to witness our supposed community leaders engaging in divisive politics and power struggles. Such actions are counterproductive for our small community. We need leaders who uphold integrity and unity, not those who seek individual benefits.”
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“Unendorsed leaders should not be our representatives. Hypocrisy and double standards have no place in leading our Pangal community. Our stance remains clear – we are a neutral community. Our primary concern is that any government-led resolution should involve the Pangal community as responsible stakeholders. If one chooses to be submissive, it should be a personal choice and not a reflection of our community’s values,” it added.
The Lup also remarked that the United Meitei Pangal Committee lacks the mandate to represent the Meitei Pangal community, stating that UMPC seems to be composed of self-serving individuals who do not truly represent our community’s interests.
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