Independence Day: 2011 at Chandel District Head Quarters, Manipur

By Lunminthang Haokip *

Inspection of Parade Contingents - Independence Day: 2011 at Chandel District Head Quarters, Manipu

Chandel DHQ, Manipur: Having taken charge as a stop-gap Deputy Commissioner on the 4th of August, 2011 till I-don't-know-when, the awesome responsibility of being the Chief Guest on I-Day, 2011 at Chandel District Head Quarters, Manipur, India was thrust upon me.

Free from bundhs and strikes, unlike many other parts of the state, the picturesque DHQ of the border district of Manipur had a consistent big crowd of cheerful town-folks on 15th August every year. The enthusiasm to celebrate the 65th anniversary of India'S Independence, this year, was even more heightened by the fact that a familiar local officer was to unfurl the Tricolour flag at Maha Union Higher Secondary School, Chandel.

The Unfurling Of Indian National Flag: Following the formalities of giving and taking salutes and inspection of March Past contingents, which was done on an open Gypsy four-wheeler, I, as the incumbent Deputy Commissioner, unfurled the Tiranga at around 9 am. The National Anthem was played by the 42 Assam Rifles band as the flag got unfurled. The 42 parade contingents consisting of AR, MR, Civil Police and College and School Student groups, then, moved forward towards the saluting base and I began to deliver the I-day speech.

The European Intruders: "India was ruled in parts and whole in turns by successive foreign imperialists from 1500 to 1947", I started with the Portuguese invasion of the western coast of India. "The Dutch who landed in 1602 were the next mercenary players on Indian soil. The motive was the same. To plunder the available resources.

The Britishers came around 1614. They befriended the Mughal rulers of the day and gradually established their dominion almost over the whole of India. The French colonized Pondichery. The European dominion brought about better connectivity and faster means of disseminating information. These new developments ushered in a sense of Indian nationalism.

Freedom Struggle: "A series of events in Indian history strengthened the bond of national unity and the will to fight ill-treatment by unwanted self-imposed masters. The first war for India's Independence was fought out in 1857. It was also recorded as Sepoy Mutiny. The might of British Indian empire was at its peak then. The mutineers were defeated by the alien rulers but the spirit of freedom struggle grew stronger ever since.

The Indian National Congress was formed in 1885 under the leadership of A.O Hume. B.G Tilak launched the famous Home Rule movement in 1819. Around 1920, Mahatma Gandhi took centre-stage and started non co-operation movement. Civil Disobedience and Satyagraha followed. The movement for freedom ended on 15 August, 1947. India became an Independent country.

Japhou Bombing: "On 4.4.44, that is the 4th April, 1944, Japhou village in the heart of the present Chandel DHQ was bombed by the British Air Force. The Brits had an Infantry camp nearby on the hill-top of Modi village. The nondescript Japhou village was a centre of INA activities then.

About 250 Indian National Army cadres who were a part of the parallel Army recruited by the alternative off-beat leader, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. A good number of Japanese soldiers also joined hands with INA in the struggle and were killed in Manipur. We are celebrating the valour of Freedom fighters today in a historic venue.

The Pace Of Development: "In the past 65 years, under socialist planning spear-headed by the first PM of India, Jawaharlal nehru, Indian economy underwent a steady growth. Narrowing down the gap between the rich and the poor had been kept in mind in the process of planning.

Today, we are an emerging global power slated to overtake the US of A by 2050. Our economy is booming. In another 9 years, India will be an IT superpower. Home-grown multinational corporate players like the Tatas, the Mittals and the Ambanis had proved their business credentials globally and are investing more in the overseas market than in the domestic one. Our nation had become the master of its own destiny.

Progress Of Chandel District: "A glut of infrastructural schemes under SPA, NLCPR; Poverty-alleviation schemes like MGNREGS, SGSY,SEGP; gap-bridging schemes like BRGF, MsDP under MOBC; Rural-specific programmes like SGGVY which took care of electrification of every village in Chandel district and has installations of two 33/11 KV Sub-stations at Joupi and Machi under progress; improvement of rural road connectivity under PMGSY and many other projects undertaken in the district, of late, had worked together to make Chandel shed the demoralizing stigma of being dubbed a backward district. In implementation of BRGF, Backward Region Grants Fund, we excelled over other districts of the state.

The Challenges: "Yet, Chandel faces many challenges presently. Frequent bundhs and blockades hamper the pace of development. Emotional unity is yet to be achieved. A sense of belonging, on the part of every resident, still is a distant target to be attained. A lot needs to be done in educational, housing, power and connectivity sectors.

2 Timothy Chapter 1 verse 7 says, " For God does not give the spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind". Following ceasefire agreements, we have cease-fear but the power to change our future have not been tapped properly. God gave us a sound mind. Yet we degrade ourselves and our potential by stooping to claim ST quota. As Christians, we will do well to remember, "If you follow my commandments, you will be the head and not the tail(Deut. 28:13)".

Appeal For Verdict: "On this auspicious occasion, all said and done, let us make a solemn vow to exploit our human, natural and financial resources to the hilt to make our district a fast-forward district so that gen-next may not have to suffer the stigma of being in a backward district. May God bless you all. Jai Hind".

Lunminthang Haokip

* Lunminthang Haokip, a resident of Old Lambulane, Imphal and posted at Moreh, Manipur is a regular contributor to e-pao.net. He can be contacted at lunminthang(dot)haokip(at)gmail(dot)com or his blog here
This article was webcasted on August 17, 2011.