CM Biren attends Berkap Leh Reiju festival

Imphal: The government is there to protect all indigenous communities of the state and no community should discriminate against or threaten smaller communities for forceful assimilation,chief minister N. Biren Singh said on Saturday.

Biren said the government is there for the upliftment and to protect the weak and small communities.

He was speaking as chief guest of the Morning Session of the inaugural day of the two-day long Berkap-Reiju Festival, a cultural extravaganza to revive and promote the rich cultural heritage of the Kom Tribe at Ichum Keirap Kom Village, Kangpokpi district.

Biren stressed that the Covid pandemic had hampered work execution of the government in the previous term, nonetheless, the government sent out the message that the government recognises and is there for every small tribe and community residing together in the state.

He said to strengthen this message, the government has constructed replicas of traditional huts of all the 34-35 indigenous tribes and communities at the Sangai Ethnic Park, where they can showcase their identity through their traditions, culture and lifestyle.

Warning against any threat for forceful assimilation of smaller and weaker communities, the chief minister said every indigenous tribe or community, regardless of their population or size, should be allowed to live freely without any threat.

He assured his commitment to ensure that government nominees in the Autonomous District Council are from the minority tribes. He added a budgetary allocation for only minorities has been included in the budget.

Biren also assured to consider the demands submitted by the locals including widening/expansion of road, upgradation of UJB School, construction of Primary Health Centre, among others. He further stated that construction of a Hills Leaders’ Bhavan in Imphal will be completed soon.