Common future, peaceful co-existence and restoration of pre-merger political status of Manipur
- Part 3 -

Dr Khomdon Lisam *

Mass Rally for the common future of Manipur from THAU Ground to Khuman Lampak on 6 February 2016 :: Pix - Deepak OInam

Connection between Meiteis and Kukis

Many authors are of the view that the Meiteis-Kukis relation dates back to 33 CE. Kuki is a generic term applied to the various sub-tribes, viz., Thadou, Paite, Hmar, Simte, Zou, Gangte, Vaiphei, Guite, Ralte, Sukte, etc. In Manipur, Kukis were called Khongsai or Khongjai before the use of the term Kuki. Khong means drum and Sai means beating or hitting according to Thadou-Kuki dialect. According to Meitei Pooyas two Kuki chiefs namely Kuki Ahongba and Kuki Achouba were allies of Nongda Lairen Pakhangba while ascending the throne of Kangleipak in 33 CE. Nongda Lairen Pakhangba's mother was a Kuki woman named 'Lenghoi' or Nungmaidenga belonging to the Chothe clan. (William Shaw 1929:47-48).

According to "Cheitharol Kumbala", the royal chronicles of Manipur, Meidingu Taothingmang, a Kuki became king of Kangleipak (Manipur) during 264-364 CE. King Naothingkhong ruled Manipur during 663-763 CE. He was known as Hongnem Yoi Khunjao. He ran away from home for fear of wrath of his father at a very young age. He lived with the Sheilloy Langmai in Nongmaijing Hills and married a Langmai girl named Petangnga. When he became the king at Kangla, Petangnga came to see him. She was shocked to find a Khuman princess, daughter of Punshi Yumoiba sitting at the seat of the queen. She died of shock and disappointment. After her death, she was worshipped as "Yumjao Lairembi" by the royal family. King Naothingkhong used to worship Mangang Kuru, Luwang Kuru and Khuman Kuru.

During Raja Nar Singh's period (September, 1844- April, 1850), a large number of new Kukis migrated to Manipur and with great efforts, they were settled in various parts of Manipur. During Chandrakirti's reign (1877-76), about 2000 Kukis migrated to Manipur being driven northwards by more powerful groups. They were tall with good physique. They brought a large number of muskets and ammunition. The Maharaja settled them near Moirang in the south western corner of the valley.

Mention may be made of Raja one Chongja Kuki taking pity on the Raja fired off his gun and said to the Raja, "The Raja shall not die until I, Chongjaam first killed the Raja's enemy ".This cheered up the Raja and the followers of Chongja having made a "Vaileng" (cane suspension bridge) got the Raja safely across and into safety. (William Shaw- 1929:48-49). (TS Letkhosei -Sangai Expresss dated 31 May 2015)

As per William Shaw in his book, "The Thadou Kukis" (1929: 48), the Burmese repeatedly invaded Manipur in 1758 (Gour Shyam), 1765 (Ching-Thang Khomba/Rajarshi Bhagyachandra) and 1775 (Rajarshi Bhagyachandra). At the time of the Burmese Invasion, the Raja of Manipur fled for protection to the house of Thongsat Kuki's father, where the Raja ate only 'Ga' (beans) for several months. When the Burmese left, the king returned home with Thongsat's father and Kaikholal Kuki.

The Kukis fought bravely with the British in the famous Kuki Uprising of 1917-1919. With the defeat of the Kukis in the uprising, the British India started arresting the leaders of the Kuki uprising vide Order of the Governor General in Council signed by RE Holland, the Secretary to the Government of India dated the 8th December 1919. Twelve Kuki chiefs from Burma were imprisoned in the Taungyi jail of Burma while another twelve leaders from Manipur were imprisoned in the Sadiya jail of Assam. They were later deported to the Andaman and Nicobar Island jail. (Zalengam:1998 & Document:Warrant-1919, Delhi)

Hearing the forced annexation of Manipur by the Government of India, the Kuki chiefs sent 250 armed warriors to be deployed at the Palace gate to protect the king, Maharaja Bodhchandra. (Zalengam:1998 & SMAW Chisti 2005:149).

India's hidden worry

The North East India is strategically very important for the existence of India as a country. The North East India has 4500 km long international border with China, Myanmar, Bangaldesh, Bhutan, which constitutes almost 90% of India's international boders. The Government of India can not forget the 1962-Indo-China war when Pandit Nehru lost all hopes of saving North East from China and said "bye bye" to the people of North East. Still China is claiming Arunachal as its territory. They are not very much confident about Myanmar or Bangladesh. All the neighbours of India are unpredictable. India is afraid of China as a superpower.

The Chicken neck of 21-40 km between Garo Hills and Siliguri is another cause of worry. This is only180 km away from the Chinese military camp. Once this is blcoked, the rest of India is cut off.

North East is a sleeping giant. It is self sufficient in all respects to be an idependent sovereign country producing petrol, diesel, iron, coal, gas, tea for the last more than 100 years. Once it wakes up from slumber, that may be the end of India. \

North East is having an area of 2.62 lakh sq km (7.97%) with a population of 32. 87 million (3.80%) – bigger than 120 countries of the world.

The people of North East are racially different from mainland India. The North Easterners are mongoloids whereas the mainland Indians are Aryans. We are different in our physical features, identity, culture, traditions, religions, language, script, dress, food habits etc.

If North East is gone, India will be many times weaker considering strategic position of the North East. India is very much afraid of China. Once Jawaharlal Neru said "bye bye to North East" in 1962. China take the people of Arunachal as their own citizen and refused to issue a separate visa. China is still claiming Arunachal as their own territory. So the Government of India does not want NSCN to remain as anti-Indian and pro-China.

The Government of India is ready to grant 'Shared Sovereignty' to NSCN-IM not out of love for Muivah or NSCN-IM but out of fear for China.

Then what strategies are they adopting to fulfill their hidden agenda?

Policy of divide and rule. The mainland Indians have learnt the policy of divide and rule from the British from 1857 to 1947 and implemented it among the several ethnic groups who have been living together peacefully from the time immemorial. The Government of India had raised the status of Naga Hills from a simple village republic to full statehood on 1st December, 1963 because of terrorist movement. The Manipuris feel betrayed and considered it as a great insult and till today this is the source of all conflicts with the Government of India.

Prevent the people of North East from being united. The greatest fear of India is the emergence of an united North east. Therefore, the main focus of the mainland Indians is how to keep us divided in the name of political parties, ethnicity. Religion, Supra State, Alternative Administrative Arrangement, Greater Nagaland, Schedule-VI. They will be very happy if any civil war erupts in North East India.

The Government of India is inviting the biggest terrorist groups with red carpet welcome and 5 star treatment with high security cover for talks while killing samller groups using AFSPA -1958 as an effective weapon. The AFSPA -1958 is not applicable to bigger terrorist groups like Maoist or Naxalites, which are affecting Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

The Government of India is turning a blind eye when months long ecnomic blockade, extortion to the tune of crores of rupees from Manipur bound vehicle and killing of innocent drivers are happening under the nose of Indian security personnel along the national highways.

Another strategy is population invasion – a population invasion- war without arms. This will replace the indigenous population of North East India with Mongoloid features with the mainland Indians of Aryan blood in the name of secularism and democracy over a period of 50 -60 years and reduce the indigenous population to a microscopic minority and build an united India of the same Aryan blood. The proportion of indigenous in Tripura had gone down from 74.68% in 1901 to 31.82 % in 2001.

The indigenouse people of Andaman and Nicobar Islands have become almost extinct now due to blessings of the Government of India. The illegal immigrants are now in majority in seven districts of Assam and 43 MLAs out of 126 are Bengali speaking. On 6 May, 1997, Indrajit Gupta, the then Union Home Minister stated in Parliament that there are ten million illegal immigrants from Bangladesh of which three million are in Assam. However, Tarun Gogoi, the Congress Chief Minister of Assam said that there are only 39,000 Bangladeshi immigrants in Assam. Tarun Gogoi wanted to save the prestige of the Congress. That is why he is speaking a blatant lie. The recent riot in Kokrajhar, Assam was the outcome of Government of India's blunder during 1947-1950.

The influx of illegal immigrants is also happening even in Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram where Inner Line Sytem is there. In Nagaland, a new ehtnic group known as "Semias" is emerging in 1980 in the Niuland in Dimapur district due to inter-marriage between women of Sema Nagas and illegal immigrant.

Captive market – The North East towns , cities and villages are the captive markets of all products from the big big companies from Delhi, Bombay, Kolkata etc. All the chambers of commerce are controlled by non-indigenous people.

Impose Congress party rule by hook or by crook . The top political leaders of INC wanted a Congress Ministry in Nagaland by March, 2013. They can sacrifice everything for the sake of power politics. This may be done through manipulation of EVM machine or by encouraging rampant corruption at the time of election as done in case of Manipur. The price for one single vote has been increased from Rs.1000 in 2012 to 2000 in 2016.

Eliminate youths who raised anti-India slogans with the help of AFSPA-1958. Army, Assam Rifles, CRPF –friends of the Hill People .

Premerger Political Status of Manipur

In 1938, about 356 leading citizens of Manipur submitted a petition to the Maharaja Bodhchandra requesting him to establish a Legislative Council and also to nominate the members of the Durbar from among the members of the Legislative Council.

In 1939, the Nikhil Manipuri Mahasabha submitted another petition requesting the Maharaja to establish a Unicameral Legislature of 100 members , 80 to be elected and another 20 to be nominated by the Maharaja.

On 12th December, 1939, the Nupi Lan was started. Hijam Irabot converted the Nupial (Women's Agitation) into a political movement aimed at the end of British rule in Manipur.

On 7 January, 1940, he was arrested and sentenced to three years imprisonment for giving a public speech. He was transferred to Sylhet jail where he was influenced by Marxist ideology.

He became a communist while in jail and through one Biresh Mishra, he came in contact with the Communist Party of India.

On 4th October 1946, Manipur State Congress came into existence. In January 1947, Maharaja Bodhchandra had announced his desire to introduce a fully democratic and constitutional form of government in Manipur.

On 21 January, 1947, the Election Committee was formed. A new Constitution making committee was formed to draft a new Constitution of Manipur.

The meeting of the New Constitution making Committee passed the draft Constitution on 8th May 1947 and submitted to the Maharaja on 26th May 1947.

On 1 July, 1947, the Manipur State Durbar which was established in 1907 was abolished and it was named as Manipur State Council. Mr. Pearson , MBE, ICS was appointed as the Chief Minister of Manipur.

On 4th July, 1947, the Indian Independence Act of 1947 was passed by the British parliament and it received the royal assent on 18th July, 1949 and India is going to be independent with effect from 15th August, 1947. On 14th August, 1947, the State Council was abolished and an interim council was established with Shri M.K. Priyobarta as the Chief Minister.

Manipur had a Constitution before India wrote one

Manipur had its own de jure constitution before India wrote her own. Maharaja Bodhchandra promulgated 'The Manipur Constitution Act, 1947 on 1 July, 1947 at the initiative of Pearson, the president of the Manipur State Durbar. Under the said constitution, the Maharaja of Manipur had already become a constitutional ruler since July 1, 1947 when he devolved his powers to the newly established State Council and Manipur State Assembly. He was no longer the absolute monarch.

Probably, Manipur was the only princely state among 565 princely states to have its own Constitution. Thus Manipur had a constitution before India had one. India has a constitution on 26 January,1950.

To be continued...