Cross Installed Atop Manipur's "Sacred" Hill Threatens Fragile Peace
NDTV
Manipur Thangjing hill controversy: Latest visuals show a priest leading a group of people carrying the cross to the hilltop, where after installing it they were seen praying
A cross has been installed atop a hill near Manipur's Moirang town in an act seen as destabilising in the violence-hit state, as the hill has a sacred site of the residents of this lakeside town under Bishnupur district, 60 km from the state capital Imphal.
Moirang's Meitei community had been going for pilgrimage to Thangjing hill, the home of the deity Ibudhou Thangjing. They believe the Thangjing hill site to be at least 2,000 years old. The tribes call this hill range Thangting, which falls under Churachandpur district. The renaming to Thangting in December 2015 by the then Congress government in the state had led to tension among communities.
Undated visuals show a priest leading a group of people carrying the cross to the hilltop, where after installing it they were seen praying. Some men armed with assault rifles are also seen guarding the priest. The armed men are suspected to be insurgents who have signed a tripartite ceasefire with the state government and the Centre, sources said, adding their act violated the ceasefire conditions.
