Acclaimed filmmaker Haobam Paban Kumar has expressed serious concern over the recent communal violence and the continued unrest prevailing in the state, and called upon all to unitedly restore peace and normalcy soon to prevent a bleak future for the younger generations.
“I never thought that the current issue would turn communal. Any issue with a communal touch always has lasting impacts, and this issue, if not solved in time, will leave a lasting negative impact on the future generation,” Paban Kumar said to DIPR.
Paban further said that Manipur is like a mini-India. "We as a citizen of the state, irrespective of whichever community one belongs to, should try to bring an amicable solution. Even the mainland Indians dwelling in Manipur should not remain a silent spectator during such critical times, and should join in to restore peace in the State,” he said.
He called upon the people to work togther for peace in the larger interest of the state.
The filmmaker also opined that news report of the present situation as shared in social media and the mainland media, somehow, seems to lack ground reality and tries to bring the narrative based on religion.
He pointed out that there has never been any occurrence of violence based on religion in Manipur.
Saying that "religion has never been a major concern or a barrier in our society," he pointed out the fact that the present issue is quite different from those narratives and the comments made without knowing the ground reality.
At present, all citizens of the country needs to make efforts to bring peace and tranquility in the state, he appealed.
Haobam Paban Kumar is an Indian filmmaker from state of Manipur. Kumar's films and documentaries have been screened in several places across the globe. Kumar's debut feature film Loktak Lairembee (Lady of the Lake) won the National Film Award for Best Film on Environment Conservation/Preservation at the 64th National Film Awards 2017. He also won German Star of India at the 14th Indian Film Festival in Stuttgart, Germany for the film in 2017.
Kumar's documentary AFSPA 1958 in 2006 was one of the highly critical and widely appreciated films across the globe for his daredevil attempt to showcase the harsh reality of the ill effects of Armed Forces Special Power Act in Manipur state.
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