A CORRESPONDENT
SILCHAR: Endorsing the demand of the Manipuri community, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh has said he would talk to his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma for forming an autonomous council for the Manipuris in Assam. Addressing the Assam Manipuri People's Convention organized by the Assam Manipuri Youth Association here on Sunday, Singh said that for the overall development of the Manipuri community of Assam, an autonomous council should be formed which would work for preserving the culture of the community. He said he would talk to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and hoped that the Assam Government would consider the demand on a priority basis.
Biren Singh further said that his Government is ready to construct a Manipur Bhawan in Silchar if adequate land is arranged. His Cabinet would sanction Rs 10 crore for the project, he added.
K Kundal Singh, chief advisor of Manipuri Youth Association, in his inaugural speech said that the demand for setting up an autonomous council for the Manipuris in Assam was first raised in 1969, but all the Governments in Assam had neglected it. Even the first BJP Government led by Sarbananda Sonowal, too, promised that the demand would be met, but it did not materialize. In Assam, the Manipuri population is not less than 5 lakh with 2.5 lakh voters. However, the Assam Government has pushed the demand of the Manipuri community to cold storage while an autonomous council for a community with 1.62 lakh people was formed.
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