CorCom calls 18 hrs gen strike
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 12 2015: In denunciation of the alleged annexation of Manipur into the Indian Union on October 15, 1949, the CorCom has announced an 18 hour general strike all over Manipur with effect from October 14 midnight till 6 pm of October 15 .

It further called upon all the people to stay indoors during the general strike.

However, essential services, religious functions, medical and media would not be covered by the general strike.

A statement issued by CorCom informed that it has been 66 years since Manipur king Bodhchandra was made to sign the Merger Agreement at Shillong under duress.

During the past several years, people of Manipur have demonstrated time and again that amalgamation of Manipur into the Indian Union was not merger but annexation.

Different public conventions and mass rallies have not only denounced the Merger Agreement but it was made clear that the right to National self-determination of Manipur should be restored.

But the Government of India has been subduing all the legitimate voices of the people.

Before India achieved independence, the Manipur State Constitution Act 1947 was already in force and a democratic Government was elected in 1948 through adult franchise.

After the alleged annexation of Manipur into the Indian Union, the elected Government of Manipur was dismissed and Manipur was brought under the administrative control of the Chief Commissioner of Assam.

Before Manipur was granted Statehood, the State was kept in a much degraded political status of Part C State, Territorial Council and Union Territory.

Even though India claims to be a democratic country, the Government of India has been violating the right to self determination of the people of Manipur.

In their efforts to suppress the liberation movement of Manipur through military might, India has been committing all kinds of excesses, the CorCom alleged.

By invoking several black laws like AFSPA, the Government of India has been persecuting people of Manipur.

Even during British colonial period, Manipur was not brought within British India.

During the past 66 years since British rulers left the region, all aspects of Manipuri society have degraded.

Whereas as the socio-economic and political life of Manipur has been taken under full control of the Government of India, New Delhi has been doling out money from time to time in the name of development of Manipur.

But whatever money given by New Delhi went into the pockets of local comprador class and the money never reached the general public.

Behind the cloak of globalization and development, New Delhi has been scheming to exploit all the natural resources found in WESEA.

The so called development projects such as mega-railway project, trans-Asian highway and all mega-dam projects would leave all the indigenous people of the land much more impoverished.

While the proxies of the alleged alien regime and the local ruling class have been looting the public openly, they have been blaming the revolutionary groups for underdevelopment of Manipur.

MoS (Home) Kiren Rijiju was just parroting what the alleged colonial masters said when he stated that insurgent groups were impeding development in WESEA, CorCom asserted.

At the same time, New Delhi has been scheming to plant Indian people on the soil of Manipur with a sinister intention to exterminate all the indigenous people.

All the people of Manipur must stand united and collectively fight against such demographic warfare.

Peace, meaningful development and dignified life can be achieved only when the lost sovereignty of Manipur is restored.

As such, all the people need to join the ongoing liberation movement, it asserted.

As in the previous years, CorCom would be observing National Black day on October 15, it added.

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