'Total recall' commemorates 1st sitting of assembly
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 18 2011: The Manipur People's Party commemorated the first sitting of Manipur State Assembly on this day in 1948 with renewed pledge to mitigate suffering of the people.

Attending the commemoration function organised by the regional political party at its office premises today as the chief guest, former Deputy Chief Minister Dr L Chandramani said the then ruler of independent Manipur Maharaja Bodhchandra administered oath to 53 MLAs for the first sitting of the manipur Assembly on October 18, 1948 .

The function organised for the first time last year will be held on a wider scale in the coming years, affirmed Dr Chandramani who prevailed upon the upcoming generation not to forget that Manipur was a flourishing nation when it existed as a sovereign nation.

Further recounting that Manipur was the first among the indian States to have elected representatives in the assembly, he contended that political and economic status of Manipur suffered a major setback with the forcible merger of the then independent Manipur to the indian Union on october 15, 1949 .

Ex-Dy CM Dr L Chandramani speaks at the commemorative event

Reminding that Manipur lost its independence due to sinister scheme of some individuals with vested interest, Dr Chandramani said objective of the MPP to commemorate the first sitting of the assembly is to caution the general public to remain vigilant against destructive forces plotting to create further divisions in the society.

speaking at the occasion, MPP president Dr Nimaichand Luwang declared that the commemoration function next year will include a seminar session at which socio-economic condition of the people under a sovereign Manipur compared to hardships being endured after merger to India would be deliberated.

Pointing out that apart from the (forced) merger agreement of 1949, the Treaty of Yandaboo signed under the British rule in 1826 on boundary demarcation is another bitter memory for the Manipuris, he lamented that expectation of the people for a better livelihood under the Government of India is still far-fetched dream.

Since coming under the fold of the indian Union, manipur had been enduring one problem after the other with the most recent endowment by the Government of India being the ongoing economic blockade, the MPP chief commented.

In addition to ceaseless cycle of violence as a consequences of the ongoing armed movement between insurgent groups and Indian military, suffering of the people due to the economic blockade has constrained one to comprehend whether such a problem would be happening had Manipur been independent, Dr Nimaichand opined.

he construed that the Centre's indifferent attitude to people of Manipur could be summed up when the Governor recently opined to a delegation of MPP that the prevailing situation (blockade) is merely an annual affair in the State.

The Governor's comment not only testify the prolonged suffering of the people but is also very embarrassing, he expressed.

The MPP chief also wryly stated that petrol costing over Rs 100 a litre with similar jump in the rate of diesel is a bonus for Manipur being a constituent unit of India along with the assertion that he gets allergic whenever the SPF Government claims to have taken up development programmes or enlists achievements in the mass media.

former Minister L Jatra, another speaker at the commemoration programme said that defeat of the Congress party in the by-elections held at some States demonstrates awareness of the electorates on rampant corruption of the Congress-led Government.

Observing that movement launched by social worker Anna Hazare to root out corruption is steadily generating positive response from the masses, he said a radical change in Manipur's political scenario in the near future cannot be ruled out.

Jatra also contended that violation of human rights by security forces, economic condition of the deprived section of the society getting worse with every passing day compared to Ministers and ruling MLAs growing wealthier by the day is the gift for extending support to a corrupt Government.

former Manipur Legislative Assembly Speaker Dr S Dhananjoy and ex-MLA L Sovakiran also spoke at the occasion.