HEMKHOLAM KHONGSI Vs. STATE OF MANIPUR AND OTHERS

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This application has been filed for removal of the Chairman appointed by the Government of Manipur in pursuance of the directions given by a Full Bench of this Court by judgment and order dated 6.1.93 in Civil Rule No. 320 of 1990 (Gauhati)/295 of 1987 (Imphal).

(2.) By order dated 13.10.72 the Government of Manipur constituted panels for recommendation of text books for certain tribal dialects. Thereafter, a Text Book Committee for Kuki dialect was also constituted. Text books had been prepared on the recommendation of the Committee and was put to use. By yet another order dated 22.3.77, the Education Secretary, Government of Manipur directed that the medium of instruction in primary schools having 90% of pupils on its rolls belonging to any one of the five tribes, namely, (1) Tangkhul, (2) Lushai,(3) Paite, (4) Hmar and (5) Thadou/Kuki shall be in those languages. This order was modified by order dated 3.11.81, deleting the word Thadou and retaining the word Kuki only in place of Kuki/Thadou. By another order dated 6.5.87, Government recognised the Thadou dialectas Thadou Kuki dialect and directed that this would apply for all purposes including any official correspondence and recognition of text books in all the educational institutions. By a subsequent order the Government reiterated its direction given earlier replacing the words used in those orders by the words Thadou/Kuki. Two members of an Association known as Kuki Literature Society at Imphal approached this Court by filing a writ application (Civil Rule No.295 of 1987 (Imphal), renumbered as Civil Rule 320 of 1990 (Gauhati).

(3.) The petitioners representing the Kuki tribe seriously prejudiced, challenged the said orders in the aforesaid Civil Rule. According to them, their tribe was Kuki tribe and Thadou was only a sub-tribe or clan of Kuki tribe. In other words, they were aggrieved by the orders which equated the sub-tribe or clan with the tribe. The Civil Rule was heard and disposed of by a Full Bench by order dated 6.11.93. The said Full Bench disposed of the Civil Rule giving certain directions.