Signing of Merger Agreement : CIRCA observes National Repentance Day
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 21 2017: The Coalition for Indigenes' Rights Campaign (CIRCA) today observed National Repentance Day in memory of the day when Manipuri king Maharaj Bodhchandra was forced to sign the Manipur Merger Agreement under duress at Shillong on September 21, 1949 .

Speaking at the gathering, Advocate Sanasam Sarat claimed that the Supreme Court issued an order on February 2, 1993 which annulled the merger agreements by which 563 princely States were merged with the Indian Union .

On the strength of this Supreme Court order, the Constitution of Manipur should be revived and concerted efforts should be invested to get the Manipur Constitution incorporated in the Constitution of India, he said .

When the League of Nations was formed in 1919, Burma was recognised as a separate member although India and Burma then existed as a single country because around 200 lawyers from England advocated Burma as a separate entity .

But Manipur remained under India as an 'Associate State'.

Being an 'Associate State', Manipur was also a member of the League of Nations .

Even though the League of Nations was abolished with the establishment of the UNO, Manipur ought to be recognised as a member of the UNO being a member State of the British-ruled Dominion of India, Sarat said .

Signing of Merger Agreement : CIRCA observes National Repentance Day

In the meantime, Manipur framed its own Constitution in 1947 and an elected Government was set up .

Sardar Vallabhai Patel expressed keen desire for unification of all princely States.

After listening to Sardar Vallabhai Patel, Lord Mountbatten remarked that Sardar Vallabhai was the most visionary Indian leader .

Subsequently the Standstill Agreement (SA) was drafted with a view to unify all princely States.

Another agreement known as the Instrument of Accession (IOA) was introduced.

Maharaj Bodhchandra went to Dehradun and signed the IOA and it appeared that the then leaders of Manipur gave their consent to the king to sign the IOA hoping that Manipur's integrity and identity would remain intact even if the Nation merges with another country, Advocate Sarat said .

Even after the Manipur Constitution Act was adopted, the head of the State was called Chief Minister rather than Prime Minister .

The Manipur Constitution stated that the king would remain the nominal head of State.

Manipur at that time had consolidated as a modern Nation and it had only 500 soldiers with inadequate weapons.

It was at this juncture that India hatched all kinds of conspiracies to take Manipur within the Dominion of India .

Many are of the opinion that the Merger Agreement had neither legal sanction nor had moral sanctity as Maharaj Bodhchandra was forced to sign it under duress, he continued .

When Maharaj Bodhchandra first refused to sign the Merger Agreement, Sardar Vallabhai Patel sent a telegram to the Chief Commissioner of Assam and asked if there was not a Brigadier in Assam .

After returning from Shillong after signing the Merger Agreement, Maharaj Bodhchandra repented so much that he shot himself dead .

Nonetheless, Manipur State Assembly passed a resolution which rejected the Merger Agreement .

Manipur Constitution was consigned to history after the Indian Constitution was adopted in 1952 .

In addition to the Supreme Court order which annulled the Merger Agreement, Article 371 (C) of the Indian Constitution has a provision which says that the member States can frame their own Constitutions and the same may be incorporated in the Indian Constitution .

As such, there is a growing need to revive the Manipur Constitution and incorporate it in the Indian Constitution for the same is sanctioned by law and the Indian Constitution, Advocate Sarat asserted .

CIRCA convenor Laishram Romesh Meitei remarked that nothing can be more painful in the history of Manipur than the signing of the Merger Agreement by Maharaj Bodhchandra under duress .

Later, prizes were distributed to winners of debating competition organised by CIRCA Students' Wing yesterday .

Meanwhile, a press release issued by CIRCA informed that the National Repentance Day was also observed at Mayang Imphal Social Welfare Club, Maharabi Youth Club, Yairipok Bamon Leikai Youth Club and Oinam Meira Paibi Apunba Lup.