Experts Concerned Over Panel’s Move to Screen Books on Manipur's Culture

on Sep 19, 2022

Experts and commentators have criticized Manipur's Bharatiya Janata Party-led government for requiring books on the state's culture, history, traditions, and geography to be approved by a screening committee before publication.

The state's higher and technical education department issued an order on Thursday requiring anyone wishing to publish a book on these state-related subjects to submit their manuscripts to the committee for approval, failing which they could face punishment.

"Many books about the state have been published, adding to our repository of several centuries of knowledge and containing knowledge of our past civilizations and cultures," said Nivedita Lalrenlakpam, joint secretary.

Some books published on the state's culture, history, tradition, and geography "contain material that may either distort facts or disturb the peaceful coexistence amongst the various communities" in Manipur, it said.

"To ensure that books on the state's history, culture, tradition, and geography are published with accurate information," the government formed a 15-member committee to approve the publication of books on the four subjects.

Anyone wishing to publish a book on the subjects must submit an application along with the manuscript to the committee for approval. "Any publication of books in violation shall be punishable under the relevant law," it added.

The screening committee will be chaired by state education minister Th Basanta Kumar Singh, and the director of the university and higher education will serve as a member secretary. Vice-chancellors from Manipur University, Manipur University of Culture, and Dhanamanjuri University are among the members.

"The government's action is a blunder and a threat to research and scientific thinking." They are attempting to limit free thinking and research. "The committee should be disbanded," said MC Arun Kumar, an anthropology professor at Manipur University and a political analyst.

The thesis, which has been published as a book titled The Complexity Called Manipur: Roots, Perceptions, and Reality, contends that the state's hill areas, which are home to Nagas, Kukis, and other tribes and account for nearly 90% of the state's total area, were not previously part of Manipur.

"The government's action is unconstitutional and infringes on academic freedom." "The government can challenge the constitutionality of Sharma's claims in his book, but it cannot be used to control everyone's right to free expression," said lawyer and human rights activist Babloo Loitongbam.