Manipuri Gorkha leaders met Governor, discussed on historical facts and figures.

Imphal, September 03 2015: Representatives of the Gorkha community of  Manipur, led by ADC Sadar Hills member Bhumi Prasad Basnet (Vikash), Kanglatongbi Gram Panchayat pradhan Shiva Kumar Basnet, Irang part 1 Gaon Bura, Hari Prasad Nepali, Sanskriti Surakshya Samiti MK Limboo and NE Zone Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh general secretary KB Chhetry held a meeting with the Governor of the State at around 11am today where the historical facts and figures of the settlement of the Gorkha community in the State, as highlighted in a memorandum submitted on August 29, was discussed.

BGP Manipur a file photo

The Gorkha community has been settling in the State maintaining goodwill and friendly relation with other communities of the State, the representatives had stated.

Alleging that the total population of Gorkhas in the State have been exaggerated by some, the representatives clarified that the Gorkhas accounts for only about 50,000-60,000 of the total State population.

The memorandum submitted to the Governor on August 29 clearly indicated that the settlement of the Gorkhas in the State is in accordance with the provisions of various laws existing before the merger of the State into India in 1949 .

Gorkhas settling in the State were given the status of domicile in 1947, before Statehood.

Unfortunately, the total population of the Goths (Khutis) or the Gorkhas of the State were not recorded in the 1951 census as the Kangpokpi Gorkhas had moved towards Irang areas and into the interior jungles of Tamenglong district where enumerators failed to reach, following the De-reservation of Kanglatongbi in 1946, the memorandum stated.

The memorandum further pointed out that the Gorkha community of the State are equally indigenous as other communities living in the State and hence their Constitutional rights should be protected.

Source: The Sangai Express