Manipur students enforce moral codes on revellers

The All Manipur Students' Union (AMSU) has started enforcing moral codes on the revellers in the state and Manipuris staying in other parts of the country.

Its volunteers are keeping a hawk-eye on those "degrading the rich culture" of Manipur while parents have been requested to keep a tab on their children studying and working outside the state, it said.

Some days back, Machu, an entertainment agency in New Delhi, had organised a cultural extravaganza during which popular Manipur folk dance, thabal chongba, was also performed.

The AMSU activists are not happy that some girls had donned their own dresses instead of the traditional ones.

Besides, some of them had put on see-through blouses thereby projecting the women in a bad light to the people of other states, said a statement by the students.

Some transgenders from the state had also donned objectionable dresses, it said.

People "hang their heads in shame since the photos have gone viral on social media and parents should carefully watch their children in other parts of the country", a press statement from the union said.

It also "banned" thabal chongba except during the festival of dol yatra and the Manipuri New Year.

In Manipur, all forms of indigenous dances are prayers and have nothing to do with non-religious festivities.

On Diwali night, some AMSU activists raided a restaurant in Imphal with the help of police where some men and women reportedly indulged in "indecent" dancing under the influence of alcohol. Manipur has been a dry state since 1991.

Police rounded up over 50 persons though some managed to escape.

Manjit Sarangthem, President of AMSU, said: "It was highly objectionable. With the cooperation of the people, the restaurant is closed down for ever."

The management of the restaurant has tendered an unqualified apology for the incident.

Sources said there will be a crackdown on hotels and restaurants serving liquor illegally and a ban on thabal chongba, which is performed on all festive occasions including declaration of election results.

--IANS

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