This Act was passed by the Manipur assembly on January 10, 1967, to abolish hereditary chieftainship," Imo Singh, who is also the son-in-law of the Chief Minister, said in the post....
Digital desk: The Chief Minister N Biren Singh of Manipur in the assembly on Monday has decided to take decisive action to abolish the archaic system of hereditary chieftainship prevalent in the hills areas of the state. BJP MLA Rajkumar Imo Singh in his X post highlighted the necessity of enforcing the Manipur Hill Areas (Acquisition of Chiefs' Rights) Act, 1967, which was passed over five decades ago but its implementation has been pending, allowing chieftains to perpetuate their authority through generations.
"A very important statement by the Chief Minister on the floor of the Manipur assembly that the state government will consult and take appropriate steps for the implementation of The Manipur Hill Areas (Acquisition of Chiefs' Rights) Act, 1967. This Act was passed by the Manipur assembly on January 10, 1967, to abolish hereditary chieftainship," Imo Singh, who is also the son-in-law of the Chief Minister, said in the post.
He also added, "Manipur is the only state in the North East where this Act isn't implemented. Even a state like Mizoram had implemented a similar act for abolishing chieftainship way back in 1954 when it was a part of Assam. (The) need of the hour is to implement this Act at the earliest date, which we are hopeful now.”
The hereditary chieftainship faced much criticism in contemporary times, condemning its exploitative nature and propensity for autocracy. The system's inherent flaws, including the exclusive succession of chiefs within families, have sparked power struggles and contributed to the proliferation of villages in Manipur. The enduring tensions between the Kuki-Zo tribes, proponents of chieftainship, and the Meiteis dominant in the valley areas have exacerbated longstanding grievances over land, resources, and political representation.
The unrest clashes between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities have persisted for ten months, underscoring the urgency of structural reforms in Manipur's governance. Amidst calls from ten Kuki-Zo MLAs for a separate administrative entity, the state grapples with the ramifications of unresolved territorial disputes and ethnic tensions.
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