The Muslims of Manipur, also called Pangals, have criticised their “controversial” and “provocative” profiling.
A group of civil society organisations had organised a seminar on the Meitei Pangal migration in Manipur a few days ago. But no Pangal civil society organisation was invited, the Delhi Association of the Manipur Muslim Students (DAMMS) said.
“We appreciate the initiative of the organisers in trying to understand the Pangal society better. However, we consider that matters related to the identity of the Pangals have to be discussed and decided with the maximum participation from the Pangal community,” DAMMS president Muzamil Kori said in a statement.
The association condemned the event, sniffing a “fishy political objective” behind it, as some of the organisers were involved in publishing controversial texts regarding the origin and demographic profile of the community.
“We would request the organisers to engage with all the necessary stakeholders regarding the community in the future. There is a constant effort to fabricate the history of the Pangals,” Mr. Kori said.
Countering the “controversial” narrative, the DAMMS said the Pangals were not “settlers” and have been native to Manipur before 1606 AD.
