Dimapur, Nov. 4 (EMN): The Zeliangrong Baudi, Zeliangrong Youth Front, and Zeliangrong Students’ Union have expressed “happiness and joy to learn” that the government of India ‘plans to construct a museum in honour of tribal women’s freedom fighters of India with special reference to Rani Gaidinliu.’ The organisations issued a press release to the media as ‘Zeliangrong civil organizations,’ on Sunday.
“The government of India efforts to recognize the importance of contribution rendered by all the freedom fighters of India irrespective of caste and creed especially contribution rendered by the tribal people particularly Rani Gaidinliu, veteran Freedom fighter of India is matter of great honour and pride,” the organisations stated.
The ‘Zeliangrong people highly value and acknowledge the government of India’s recognition to contribution rendered by Rani Gaidinliu for which various prestigious awards, among other recognitions, such as the Tamrapatra, Padma Bhusan, and Birsa Munda were given to her, the groups stated.
The statement asserted that the government of India should consider the ‘bitter experience’ regarding the incomplete construction of library-museum in honour of Rani Gaidinliu, which was constructed at Kohima, Nagaland at the cost of Rs.13 crores due to unnecessary opposition raised from some quarters leading to abandonment without achieving the objective only after exhaustion of fund.’
The statement claimed further that abandoning the project that was constructed in honour of Rani Gaidinliu due to “unnecessary opposition raised after exhaustion of required fund is a great insult to Rani Gaidinliu and also ‘great defeat to the government of India.’
The Zeliangrong civil organizations have demanded that the government of India and of Manipur state ‘prefer the construction of tribal women’s freedom fighters’ museum with special reference and focus on life and contribution of Rani Gaidinliiu, in order to achieve the objective and serve the intended purpose of the project.
For this, the ‘Zeliangrong people’ will extend ‘maximum support’ and cooperation other than the government of Manipur’s proposal to construct at Makhel in Senapati district of Manipur, the press release said.
The Zeliangrong organizations stated to have already identified two suitable locations in the Zeliangrong areas ‘with respective villages’ in honour of Rani Gaidinliu.
