Manipur unrest and the disastrous fallout a legacy of colonial British rule
- Part 2 -

Maheshsana Rajkumar *

While the Simon Commission recommended these provisions only for a few areas, the British Parliament expanded their scope considerably in the Government of India Act of 1935.

The impact of British policy to segregate the hills from the plains was profoundly reflected on social and political developments in Manipur. As a result of the experience of segregation, there were severe disagreements between Maharaj Churachand Singh and the British Government. When the British House of Commons debated the Government of India Act of 1935, the arguments for separating the hill tracts from the plains areas became even more vociferous.

In the meantime, a controversy arose as to whether Manipur State would only be confined to the valley under section 311 (1) of the Government of India Act, 1935, as an Indian State. The political Agent did not consider the hill areas as an integral part of the Manipur State although this was never the declared view of the British Raj.

The separation of the hill areas from the valley was not at all acceptable to Maharaja Churachand Singh, who did not see any compelling reason for separating the surrounding hilly area of 7000 square miles out the State’s total area of 8000 square miles with a population of about 1, 50,000.

Govt of India Act, 1935

Interpretation of Section 311 (1) : 311.–(1) in this Act and, unless the context otherwise requires, in any other Act the following expressions have the meanings hereby respectively assigned to them, that is to say:-

“British India” means all territories for the time being comprised within the Governors’ Provinces and the Chief Commissioners’ Provinces; “India” means British India together with all territories of any Indian Ruler under the suzerainty of His Majesty, all territories under the suzerainty of such an Indian Ruler, the tribal areas, and any other territories which His Majesty in Council may, from time to time, after ascertaining the views of the Federal Government and the Federal Legislature, declare to be part of India;

“Burma” includes (subject to the exercise by His Majesty of any powers vested in him with respect to the alteration of the boundaries thereof) all territories which were immediately before the commencement of Part III of this Act comprised in India, being territories lying to the east of Bengal, the State of Manipur, Assam, and any tribal areas connected with Assam;

“British Burma” means so much of Burma as belongs to His Majesty; “Tribal areas” means the areas along the frontiers of India or in Baluchistan which are not part of British India or of Burma or of any Indian State or of any foreign State;

“Indian State” includes any territory, whether described as a State, an Estate, a Jagir or otherwise, belonging to or under the suzerainty of a Ruler who is under the suzerainty of His Majesty and not being part of British India;

“Ruler” in relation to a State means the Prince, Chief or other person recognized by His Majesty as the Ruler of the State.

Renowned author Bertil Lintner writes, “The British colonialism brought with it a semblance of artificial peace, ‘Pax Britannica’, which froze the problems but did not solve them. After India’s independence in 1947, many of these old conflicts flared anew;

and without a proper understanding the complex histories of the North Eastern peoples and the evolution of their fractious rebel movements and fragile alliances, little headway can be made towards achieving peace in one of the India’s most volatile regions.”

One of the main reasons behind the current unrest in Manipur is result of the doings of the colonial master centuries ago and the irony behind is the Government of India after attaining independence continues to implement amended divisive colonial laws enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of India.

What the peace loving people of Manipur want is the complete solution to end the present turmoil. Unrest in Manipur is a sensitive matter and needs to be dealt with a firm approach. Government of India should restore sense of security to the inhabitants of the State by bringing normalcy and peace with a big no to ‘Pax Britannica’.

Manipur was under the direct British rule for 15 years from (1891-1906). It was the period of minority of Churachand. The British introduced Indian pattern of administration in Manipur. Raja Churachand Singh at the age of 22 was handed over the administration of the State of Manipur by Sir Lancelot Haire, the Lieutenant Governor of Eastern Bengal and Assam on 15th May 1907.

However, the administration of Hill areas was not entrusted to him. The Political Agents controlled the Hills. The Raja (designated as Maharaja in 1919) was responsible for the administration of the valley of Manipur.

Now the big question to peace loving proud Meitei people whether there is the want to return to pre-colonial status of the erstwhile kingdom under the domain of Indian Constitution or not ? In simple answer here the demand is for no separate laws of Manipur citizens of land.

The heartbroken and defeated Maharaja Churachand Singh dreamt 82 years ago of united Manipur under one law of land of both hills and plain administration under his rule. The disastrous fallout in current Manipur unrest is clearly visible a colonial legacy a rather bitter truth to digest lingering in the minds of every Meitei people of Manipur valley.