ANTA issues 'stern warning'

IMPHAL, Oct 31: The Anal Naga Tangpi (ANTA), an apex socio-political body of the Anal Naga community has  issued a “stern warning” to any individual or group "involved in displaying" Anal traditional clothes during Kut and other festivals.
In a statement, ANTA claimed the Kukis used Anal traditional clothes like their assets without the permission and consent of the Anal apex body in the previous yearsr.
 ANTA reminded the Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) and the State Level Kut Festival Celebration Committee and the Kuki community at large not to repeat such a gesture during a joyous State level festival like Chavang Kut.
ANTA also appealed to the Government of Manipur (GoM) to look into such a matter at the earliest.
It also cautioned that any Anal blood going against the warning will be ostracized from the community without warning.
"In the olden days, Anals celebrated Chavan Kumhrin as a post-harvest festival in the village level with rituals and offerings performed by Kholpu, a village priest. The youth organized themselves as Demand Committee and appealed to the GoM for recognition of the festival. The then Deputy Commissioner, Chandel, Lalringa, IAS and Assistant Commissioner,  Ch Birendra, greatly contributed in declaring the 23rd of October as a restricted district holiday in the year 1978. This celebration is also practised by our neighbouring tribes like the Lamkang, Moyon, Monsang, Maring, Chothe, Tarao, Aimol etc," it added.
The statement also claimed that the Anal is neither an old Kuki nor a new Kuki and inscription of Anal tribe as one of the Kuki's on the stone of "Pathen Tonsot Songpi" in an undisclosed spot is a 'brainless and serious crime' against humanity in the modern world.
Recently, the Anals were clubbed into Kuki fold as a tool to serve their political agenda to claim over the vast land of the Anals in the South-Eastern part of Manipur, it alleged.