IT News
Imphal, Aug 14:
The All Manipur United Clubs’ Organisation (AMUCO) observed the 75th Manipur Independence Day in a simple function at its office located at the Kwakeithel Akham Leikai today at around 10 am. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Pheiroijam Nando Luwang, President, AMUCO outlined the reason for observing the said day. Today’s occasion was to foster the realization of the millennia-old transcending historical facts of Manipur, the erstwhile Ancient Asiatic Power – Kangleipak, said Mr. Luwang. He added the observance of the Manipur Independence Day would give the younger generations to revisit the reminiscent past history of Manipur.
Stating that Manipur and India were separate entities at the time of India’s Independence, he asserted Manipur was never a part of India when the British granted Independence to Manipur at the stroke of midnight on the 14th August 1947. He maintained the Manipur People should express pomp and gaiety over the mass observance of 14 August as Manipur Independence Day.
After the declaration of Manipur’s Independence, the then King Bodhachandra along with the Queen performed rituals for the Independence of Manipur at Kangla the following day on the 15th August 1947 in the morning at 7:10 am, after which the Manipur National Flag with the Lord Pakhangba Emblem was unfurled at the State Durbar, said the President, AMUCO. Later at around 8 am, the then Political Agent G.P. Stewart, ICS handed over all the full sovereign power to King Bodhachandra at the Durbar Hall in the presence of a sizeable number of Manipur People, he added. Saying that Manipur Top Menjor (Major), Mr. Ahongshangbam Bidhu fired 18 rounds of Top Gun to mark the jubilance of the Independence Day of Manipur, he mentioned that Kangla was not the seat of King Bodhachandra. The Manipur Kind ruled the entire territory of Manipur from the King’s Palace located near the present day Maharaja Bodhachandra College which the Britishers developed between 1892 and 1895.
Though the British granted independence to Pakistan, Manipur and India at the same time on the midnight of 14 August 1947, Pakistan and Manipur observed their respective independence days on 14 August while India observed on 15 August according to the then existing ritual beliefs of these nascent nations, he opined. Two years and one month later, the Sovereignty of Manipur met an abrupt end with India’s takeover of Manipur on 15 October 1949. The observance of 14 August as Manipur’s Independence Day would raise the hallmark of the importance of this day in the annals of the history of Manipur, he stressed.
Showing his anxiousness over the turmoil history of Manipur, he narrated how Manipur befell under India’s clutches after horrible Burmese Domination during the Seven Years’ Devastation (1819-1825), 56 years’ of British Suzerainty (1891-1947) and two years and one months’ (14 August 1947 to 15 October 1949) political sovereignty of Manipur. He also mentioned how the then King Bodhachandra was summoned to Shillong and made to sign the much contested Manipur Merger Agreement on 21 September 1947.
Later, he wound up his deliberation saying that the observance of the Manipur Independence Day was just to keep alive the golden days of the history of Manipur and not to make any political milestone against any community or any nation or the Union of India under which Manipur has been flourishing has an Indian state since Indian rule began in Manipur on 15 October 1949.
