KCP greets on Miyamgi Fingang Lanmi raising day-II
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 13 2022:
Contd from previous issue

Taking advantage of Surchandra's petition, Viceroy Lord Lansdowne sent Assam Chief Commissioner JW Quinton along with 490 soldiers led by Lt Col C Mc D Skene to Manipur arrest Tikendrajit.

As all their attempts to arrest Tikendrajit failed, British soldiers attacked the Manipuri king's palace at around 3.30 am of March 24, 1891, the outfit continued.

This led to a heavy exchange of fire between British soldiers and Manipuri soldiers.

The British officers, having realised the failure of their attempt, requested for a ceasefire.

Even though both the sides declared ceasefire, many innocent people were killed and a number of houses were destroyed because of the sudden attack launched by the British soldiers.

On the charge of waging war against the king of Manipur and killing innocent people, five British officers namely; Assam Chief Commissioner JW Quinton, 42nd Gurkha Regiment Commander Lt Col C Mc D Skene, Assam Chief Commissioner's Assistant Secretary WH Cossins, Lt Simpson and Political Agent St Clair Grimwood were sentenced to death.

Subsequently, the British empire accused the independent kingdom of Manipur of waging war against the British Crown and they invaded Manipur from three directions.

This led to the Anglo-Manipur War of 1891, the outfit recounted.

The Battle of Khongjom turned out to be the last battle of the war.

Many heroes like Yaiskul Lakpa, Chinglensana, Paona Brajabashi, Wangkhei Meiraba etc laid down their lives in the battle.

Following the defeat of Manipur in the war, the British invaders hoisted the Union Jack at Kangla on April 27, 1891.Later on August 13, 1891, Thangal General and Jubaraj Tikendrajit were hung to death in public at Pheidabung.

Moreover, Pukhramba Kajao was hung to death on May 25, 1891, Niranjan Subedar on June 8, 1891 and Chirai Naga on October 13, 1891 .

King Kullachandra and many members of his court were exiled to Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Kala Pani).

Those who were exiled along with king Kullachandra were Senapati Angousana Singh, Wangkheirakpa Lokendrajit Birjit Singh, Ayapurel Major Chongtham Nilamani Singh, Luwang Ningthou Maisnam Shamu Singh.

Major Chongtham Mia Singh, Abungjao Yengkhoiba, Lallupchingba Usam Uru Singh, Laishram Khamba Singh, Lallupchingba Komdram Ghana Singh, Machahal Chaobi Haidar, Machahal Mayengbam Dhojo Singh, Machahal Nepram Noni Singh, Sanglingba Makok Nongthombam Trilok Singh, Sagolsem Dhono Singh, Jamadar Ingudam Ghana Singh, Jamadar Chingsubam Ningthouba Singh, Jamadar Phanjoubam Thoiba Singh, Jamadar Mangsatabam Tonjao Singh, Subedar Heigrujam Chaobaton Singh, Ashangbam Phurahongba Singh (Kut), Ghowkami Naga and Gohow Naga.

The outfit then alleged that Kangleipak was annexed by India in 1949.Since the Government of India has been scheming to distort and erase the history of Manipur/Kangleipak.

The Government of India has been scheming to portray the Anglo-Manipur War 1891 as a part of India's freedom struggle, it continued.

The Har Ghar Tiranga campaign which is being celebrated across the country at the initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a manifestation of 'pan India' movement and it endorses Vinayak Damodar Sarvarkar's idea of Hindutva, it alleged.

Categorically stating that Anglo-Manipur War 1891 was a war fought between British colonisers and the independent kingdom of Manipur and it was never a part of India's freedom struggle, the outfit asked the Government of Manipur not to ever misinterpret the significance of August 13.August 13 is about remembering the supreme sacrifices made by Manipuri people to protect the sovereignty of their motherland whereas August 15 is about celebrating India's achievement of independence.

As such, the significances of August 13 and August 15 are quite different and thus there cannot be any connection between the two, the outfit asserted.

Analysing past failures and successes can go a long way in chalking out future strategy and it is of paramount of importance for the present generation to take the revolutionary movement forward, the outfit concluded.

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