By Prof. N. Lokendra Singh
Prof. & Head, Dept. of History, Manipur University
POST WAR SOCIO-POLITICAL CHANGES
The war period, thus, was a time of intense socio-economic and political cross-currents. The changes during the wartime provided material as well as ideological basis for strong political movements during 1946-1949 period. It was during such a time of tremendous change that the economic base of the nascent Manipuri and Naga middle class was strengthened through massive investments in transportation, trade, supply and construction works. Ideologically, the Manipuri and Naga middle class was exposed to the national and international political trends and therefore, was on the lookout for opportunities to struggle for broad socio-economic and political changes in their respective states. As far as the Manipuri and the Naga masses were concerned, the disturbances shook their traditional way of life. They began to feel the impacts of the market economy as it penetrated into the remote areas of the region. The people of Manipur and Naga hills, thus, became receptive to various political ideologies. The politics of Naga National Council, Kuki National Assembly, Manipur Communist Party, and above all the politics of Indian National Congress backed by strong organizational networks at the State as well as district level in both the two places are to be examined against such a backdrop.
As far as the political trend in Manipur valley was concerned, it may be pointed out that a large section of Meitei middle class who worked with Mahasabha had been desperately trying to set up a unit of Indian National Congress and ultimately Manipur State Congress was formally established in October 1946. A few other leaders of Meitei middle class belonging to the Krishak Sabha went to Burma along with the retreating INA-Japanese force and returned by August 1946. Majority of the group along with H. Irabot Singh worked for a left wing peasant movement under the banner of Manipur Communist Party/DOC, CPI. From 1946 onward, the two political groups began to launch systematic campaign for political democratization and broad socio-economic change in the state.
Regarding the political situations in the hill areas, the observations of Mangi Singh Thiyam seems to reflect the then political scenario. He wrote:
The Hills at last seem to awaken. They got up by the cries of Democracy and Independence all over the world and especially by the India Independent cries. It had its own interests to safeguard. They were very much worried during the last Gandhi-Jinnah talks and were greatly relieved that it ended into nothing. There was no room for the minorities in their thoughts. Though politically included within the orbit of India, at least, felt that historically they had never been subdued either by the great Hindu Kings or the Muslim Kings. Moreover, they were not cared for at all. It is only the British who took the Hills under the laws and led them up to the path of civilization. In appearance they still differ from the rest of India. By the influx of so many Indian troops of various class and by their habit of treating the hill people strangers all men and women in the Hills let alone those who know little education, they all feel their difference more.
On the issue of political strategy of the hill people, Mangi wrote “they were going to send to H.E. the Governor of Assam …(a petition) and they desired that the petition be forwarded to H.E. the Viceroy and then to His Majesty the, King. The suggestion was to establish hill administrative unit in Assam-Burma border by taking similar areas from N. Burma. It originated from the speech of Sir R. Reid, Ex-Governor of Assam about these Hills in London and its recent origin is from the Naga Hills. All bless this proposal”.
The report of Mangi Singh may be appreciated against the background of socio-economic assessment provided by N.L. Bor. Dr. Bor wrote that even the remotest of Manipur hills (and adjoining areas) began to change their way of life due to presence of army and considerable inflow of money. Bor further wrote that with increased use of consumption goods like soaps, mugs etc., which were supplied by mobile canteen every week, the standard of living of the hill people had grown tremendously. Thus, it is fairly reasonable to argue that a large section of educated and politically conscious group of Manipur hills, along with other leaders of North East Indian hill areas in collaboration with some of the colonial officers were toying with the idea of a separate administrative unit in the hilly Indo-Burma region.
Within such broad trend, there were varied ethnocentric political currents. The Mao Nagas under the leadership of A. Daiho and influenced by the politics of Naga National Council launched a struggle for the inclusion of Naga inhabited areas of Manipur into Naga Hills. The Mizo Union also made inroads into the Kuki areas of the Southern hills of Manipur and began to demand the integration of Kuki inhabited areas into the Lushai Hills. In the western hills of Manipur, the Zeliangrong Nagas also continued their long drawn out struggle for the unification of the Zeliangrong inhabited areas of Manipur, Naga Hill and North Cachar Hills. Thus, although most of the traditional chiefs and the general masses continued to believe in the historico-political entity of Manipur, the educated elites of Manipur hills began politics of ethnic consolidation and ethnic identity.
In the Naga Hills, Zapu Phizo, an Angami leader returned in June 1946 after his long wartime sojourn in Burma to preach his politics of Naga independence. Although the NNC (Naga National Council) which he had founded initially demanded local autonomy of Naga Hills within the state of Assam, after India’s independence, they raised the demand to secede the Naga Hills from India.The movement still continues. It may be pointed out that during the war and even a decade after the event, the people of the region were linked up very closely with the people who inhabit the northwestern Burmese hills.
(Chapter from the Forthcoming Book on Manipur and Second World War)
