Re-consolidation Day observed
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 09 2014:
United People's Front (UPF), Manipur today observed 9th Re-consolidation Day at Manipur press Club to mark the death anniversary of Maharaja Gambhir Singh (Chinglen Nongdrenkhomba) .
As chief guest of the observance function, former Minister RV Mingthing said present day Manipur needs dedicated and audacious individuals like Maharaja Gambhir Singh, who restored freedom to the people of Manipur from the clutch of Burmese invaders.
Lamenting that committed individual or leader like Gambhir Singh is a rarity in Manipur these days, Mingthing opined that unity and cooperation among the general public is a necessity to overcome lack of reliable and courageous individuals in the present generation.
As the functional president UPF president BM Yaima Shah cautioned the Government against ceding even an inch of Manipur's territory, which Gambhir Singh and other rulers of then independent Manipur (Kangleipak) fiercely defended.
Expressing deep concern on the imminent loss of State's boundary consequent to the Indo(Manipur)-Myanmar border fencing project along with insisting that constant threat posed to Manipur's territorial integrity is due to merger into the Indian Union, Yaima Shah suggested that either the State or Central Government ongoing project or settle the issue amicably.
At a time when the people of Manipur have been demanding boundary status quo Myanmar authorities claiming certain border areas of Manipur as theirs compels one to recall the traumatic period when Manipur and Burmese rulers were unfriendly neighbours, said the functional president who prevailed upon the Central Government for necessary measures to ensure that the hard-earned goodwill between Manipur and Myanmar gets further strengthened.
To the State Government he proposed that pressure be exerted upon the Central authorities to reclaim territories already lost to Myanmar rather than merely asking for halting the fencing project.
Further stating that joint resurvey is necessary to settle the border dispute, Yaima Shah cautioned that people will never forgive those responsible for further distortion of Manipur's territory, which Maharaja Gambhir Singh and other rulers strived to preserve regardless of being a small nation.
Zeliangrong Union (AMN) president Amu Kamei, who also spoke at the occasion, hailed Gambhir Singh for valiantly protecting Manipur against adversaries inspite of the fact that people of erstwhile independent Manipur were poorly equipped in terms of war armoury.
He also stressed on contribution from every section of the society to promote unity and cooperation among the ethnic communities.
Apart from representatives of various civil society organisations, Kuki Inpi Manipur vice president Haojakhup Lupho and retired teacher Tongbram Gulamchat also addressed the gathering.
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