SHILLONG: With an objective to protect and preserve the indigenous religious practices, a book titled Protection of the religious practices of niam Khasi: a legal study’ by Umeshwari Dkhar was launched here on Saturday.
Concerned over the declining culture of the indigenous people, the author said that the need of the hour is the preservation of indigenous religious practices, she also observed that people as a whole must move forward to preserve it. Dkhar said, “Our push is to preserve our culture and we have the right to do so.”
Dkhar pointed that as there is decline in the number of people engaged in indigenous religion and said that according to recent census there is a fall to over 9 per cent.
“We must take a strong initiative to protect our rights and after thorough study and research, I found out Article 29 (1) envisaged about the right to practice one’s distinct linguistics, religion,” Dkhar said.
She further added as the Constitution has granted the right, the masses must protect the declining culture.
“Maybe there is leniency that we are not taking any effort to protect right from the start.”
She asserted there may be lack of deep rooted knowledge and the initiative is up to the people to start.
