Sports university site controversy: Liangmai organisations

Liangmai organizations have urged the “concerned authority” on Saturday to declare the proposed National Sports University (NSU) site as the land of Konsakhul village (Konsaram). They said the “landlord/owner” of the NSU site is Konsakhul village (Konsaram).

Liangmai Naga Council (LNC), Liangmai Pui Naga Ruangdi (LPNR) and Liangmai Naga Katimai Ruangdi (LNKR) then said the “real landlord of the proposed NSU site has been a mere spectator for so long for the sake of peaceful co-existence amongst the various communities in the state and also for the early implementation of the NSU project”. The Liangmai bodies then appealed to the “rest of the communities not to disturb the setting up process of the NSU”.
It can be mentioned here that LNC is the apex body of Liangmai people in Manipur while LPNR is the apex body of Liangmai women and LNKR is the apex students’ body of Liangmai people.

Meanwhile, the three Liangmai organizations “endorsed the clarification of Konsakhul Village Authority, now Kangpokpi district (formerly Senapati district) that appeared in ‘The Sangai Express’ on October 11, 2020, wherein it stated that the proposed site for National Sports University complex belongs to neither Koutruk village of Imphal West district nor Haroathel village of Kangpokpi district”. The Liangmai bodies clarified that the site “belongs to Konsakhul village under erstwhile Senapati district since time immemorial”.

The Liangmai organizations then expressed their “disappointment over the settlement of the NSU site dispute between Koutruk village and Haraothel village alone by the incumbent government without involving the primary stakeholder i.e. Konsakhul Village Authority”. They added, “This is a complete ignorance of the incumbent government on the issue and an attempt to twist truth and distort the history of our people”.
The Liangmai organizations then said that this kind of “initiative” is not welcomed by them, saying that it will spread hatred, chaos and will polarize communal tension in the state. 

“Land being the unexpandable and indestructible property and inherited from our forefathers since time immemorial, the matter cannot be taken lightly that was concluded without hard facts and evidences”, the Liangmai organizations asserted. 

LNC, LPNR and LNKR then pointed out that the proposed NSU site falls under Tribal Hill Land (Scheduled Areas). “Therefore, MLR & LR Act, 1960 does not apply to the region as it falls under the Hills Areas and hence, no patta exists there”, they added.

Talking about the land holding pattern in the “tribal areas”, the Liangmai bodies said the tribals have their own system of land holding based on customary laws and traditional practices. Citing a case, the Liangmai bodies said the founder of any village takes all risks and responsibilities to establish a village, and as such, the founder of a village “earns the title ‘founder’”. Later, the founder becomes the chief of the village he founded and he is the first owner of the entire village territory in respect of the “Naga tribals”.

Thus, the Liangmai bodies said that “it is crystal clear that the proposed NSU site belongs to Konsakhul (Konsaram) village, erstwhile Senapati district”. 

Meanwhile, the Liangmai organisations said they “collectively welcome the proposed National Sports University, and at the same time, applauded the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports Ministry and Government of Manipur for roping in the first National Sport University, which is the first of its kind in the country, into our state, and then importantly selecting the site in our area”.

NNN