MSAD decries titular king's aspiration to become an MP

IMPHAL, Jun 11
Titular king Leishemba Sanajaoba is free to practice his politics in the Indian electoral system but not as the titular king of Manipur, said the Manipur Students' Association Delhi (MSAD) in a statement today.
In its statement, MSAD explained that Sanajaoba's kingship represents cultural symbolism which includes serving the bond of mutual relationship between the Hill and Valley, and also represents the existence of Manipur's national identity.
When Manipur was 'forcefully' merged to the Indian State in 1949, the political authority of the king was lost and the present titular king represents Manipur nation with no political authority. The institution of kingship is inherently intertwined with the aspirations of the people of Manipur and their struggle for a democratic way of life, it said.
The statement further asserted that the concept of monarchy is not acceptable and that for many people, their loyalty is not to the palace but to the complex political life, challenging the Indian 'colonising' forces.