Biography of His Highness Maharaja Bodhachandra (Last King of Manipur)
- Part 2 -

Wahengbam Pathou *

Jila Durbar in the Kingdom of Manipur in early 1900s
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Praja Shanti Party emerged as the ruling party and formed the government. The minister designates of the government were appointed by Maharaja Bodhchandra on 10 November, 1948. Capt. M.K. Priyabrata was reappointed as Chief Minister to head the government on 26 November, 1948. To watch the treaty obligations between the Manipur and Dominion of India, Maharaja Bodhchandra further appointed Capt. M.K. Priyabrata as Dewan of Manipur on 29 November, 1948.

Finance Minister A. Ibungotomcha presented budget on 9 June, 1949. The budget reflected a fairly sound economy for Manipur. Capt. M.K. Priyabrata government took keen interest in the development of infrastructure and health sector of Manipur and revenue generation. He, however, did not hold the office of Dewan of Manipur for long. Maj. Gen. Rawal Amar Singh was sent by New Delhi to replace him who subsequently became Dewan on 18 April, 1949. The arrival of Rawal Amar Singh as Dewan was the first deliberate ploy applied by India to set the stage for merger of Manipur.

In the meanwhile, the Manipur State Congress, left high and dry after it failed to secure majority in the 1948 Assembly elections and subsequently form government began to feel restless sitting in opposition. Being left in the wilderness, its power hungry party leaders went into sinister mode. To satisfy their appetite for power, they resorted to nefarious vendetta against Maharaja Bodhchandra by plotting to abolish monarchy and merge Manipur with India. Leaders of the Manipur State Congress actively lobbied at New Delhi for Manipur's merger with India. They launched Quit Gaddi movement and resorted to vitriolic campaign against the Maharaja. To serve their narrow ends, the Manipur State Congress took recourse to unscrupulous character assassination of the Maharaja by spreading vicious canards against His Highness.

In the middle of these political mudslinging engineered by the Congress, Maj. Gen. Rawal Amar Singh turned the office of Dewan into a menacing centre of power and intrigue by covertly propping up the Congress with their Quit Gaddi movement and he mischievously meddled with the affairs day to day administration with the overall aim to frustrate and provoke Maharaja Bodhchandra.

Maharaja Bodhchandra could not remain mute spectator to the undue interference in the administration by Rawal Amar Singh. So, His Highness decided to go to Shillong to lodge a complaint against the unbecoming conduct of the Dewan to Assam Governor Sri Prakasa and ultimately seek his removal. Accordingly, Maharaja Bodhchandra left Imphal for Shillong on 16 September, 1949. However, to the utter surprise and astonishment of His Highness, Sri Prakasa insisted on Maharaja Bodhchandra to sign the merger agreement.

Although His Highness had come to Shillong for a different purpose, Sri Prakasa laid a trap on Maharaja Bodhchandra to sign the merger agreement by placing His Highness under de facto house arrest at Red Lands, the official residence of the Maharaja of Manipur at Shillong. Armed security personnel encircled Red Lands with round the clock surveillance on the Maharaja. Sri Prakasa further warned Maharaja Bodhchandra that His Highness would not be allowed to return to Manipur without signing the merger agreeement.

At first, Maharaja Bodhchandra categorically made it clear that the 'sovereignty of the state has been vested in the people, it would be in the fitness of things to hear the people's voice and learn their sentiment so that the time of action may not in any case be unconstitutional.'

On another occasion, Maharaja Bodhchandra emphatically stressed that 'direct dealing with me (His Highness the Maharaja of Manipur) was feasible when sovereignty was vested in me but, after the introduction of the State Constitution Act, the sovereignty and administration of the State has been shifted to the people.' His Highness further explained that 'under Rule No. 28 (ii) of the Manipur Administration Rules now in force in the state, the Maharaja of Manipur and the council of ministers have a joint responsibility for such matters (as crucial as merger agreement)'.

Maharaja Bodhchandra continued to hold on to his position that under the constitution, His Highness has remained 'constitutional head of a full responsible government'.

Therefore, it is of paramount importance to seek the opinion of the people of Manipur represented by the popular government and elected assembly and let 'the will of the people' prevail in deciding on the question of Manipur's merger with India.

'Voice of the majority is my voice and it shall be constitutionally and legally binding on me not otherwise', Maharaja Bodhchandra asserted.

Thus, His Highness consistent stand was that it would be in the fitness of things that he returns to Manipur to assess the mood of the people on the merger question first and act accordingly rather than hastily sign the merger agreement in his Shillong visit as it would have severe repercussions.

Aware that Maharaja Bodhchandra is reluctant to sign merger agreement without prior consultation with popular government and elected assembly, Sri Prakasa resorted to deception and strong arm tactics as instrument to coax and coerce Maharaja Bodhchandra into signing the merger agreement.

By dispatching a secret agent, he indicated to the Maharaja that in the event of His Highness refusal to sign merger agreement sooner than later, full preparations had been made by Government of India to forcibly remove Maharaja Bodhchandra and appoint a scion of Manipur royal family who would be agreeable to sign the merger agreement. Although, this threat was unfounded and without any basis as there was no royal scion available who would come forward to replace Maharaja Bodhchandra and sign the merger agreement, this false information was deliberately circulated to mount pressure on His Highness.

After virtually placing His Highness under de facto house arrest, Sri Prakasa ordered significant increase in the number of armed security personnel surrounding Red Lands to intimidate Maharaja Bodhchandra.

Despite His Highness initial stand to seek opinion of people on merger issue before signing the merger agreement, political gimmicks coupled with threats from Sri Prakasa withered the Maharaja's mental resolve. The war of attrition launched upon Maharaja Bodhchandra by Sri Prakasa naturally took heavy toll on his state of mind. Buckling under pressure from constant intimidation coupled with mental harrasment, His Highness relented to sign the merger agreement.

To be continued..