CorCom urges people to follow footsteps of Irabot
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, September 19 2012:
On the occasion of 61st Death Anniversary and 116th Birth Anniversary of Hijam Irabot, the Coordination Committee (CorCom) of seven UG groups (KCP, KYKL, PREPAK, PREPAK (Pro), RPF, UNLF & UPPK) has observed that Hijam Irabot was the first revolutionary leader of Manipur who fought against the British Empire, diktats of the then king of Manipur and later the India government for liberation of the people of Manipur.
In a statement signed by its Media Coordinator, H Poirei, CorCom recalled that Irabot took up arms after the Pungdongbam incident of 1948.After the forced merger of Manipur into the Indian Union, the strategy and outlook of armed revolution of Irabot changed drastically.
He communicated with many communist revolutionaries of the South West Asia and planned for a massive revolution against India government with the help of the people, specially those belonging to the worker class.
He even succeeded in making a stronghold in some villages of Imphal East district.
Unfortunately, he expired on September 26 in 1951 in Burma.
After his death, differences of outlook towards the freedom struggle began to surface among the members of the Manipur Communist Party.
Some opted for armed revolution while some endorsed the idea of resorting to political means.
As the differences showed up and cracks developed in the party, the downfall of Manipur Communist Party began.
One by one, all the important members of the party were arrested by the India government and the revolution gradually subsided.
During his revolution, Irabot liberated Taretkhul, Keibi, Sagolmang and Pukhao and planned for a movement for the freedom of Manipur.
Later he also selected some villages like Heirok and other villages at the border to establish village militia for a mass armed movement.
However, his dream of a free Manipur could not be realised as his followers failed to live up to his expectation and they disintegrated.
The Corcom statement further pointed out that Irabot was against the merger of Manipur into the Indian Union.
He wrote a letter to the President of Manipur State Congress, RK Bhubonsana in June 1947 which read "After India has won her independence, let the people decide the questions on whether Manipur should be merged in any Province or she should remain aloof from India" .
Urging the people of the state to follow the footsteps of Irabot, CorCom also called for collective movement for a free Manipur against the India government.