ASUK justifies boycott of India's Republic Day
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, January 22 2024: Alliance for Socialist Unity, Kangleipak (ASUK), a joint body of the proscribed KYKL and KCP, has announced total shutdown on January 26 from 6am to 6pm as part of its boycott of India's Republic Day celebration in Manipur.

Appealing to people to support the boycott and make it effective, ASUK said that the shutdown will be relaxed for medical, religious ceremonies, media and essential services.

According to an ASUK statement issued by its publicity committee convener S Mangai, India celebrates January 26 every year as Republic Day to commemorate first ever formation of people's government in 1950.Every Indian celebrates the day with joy but it remains as a regretful day for the people of WESEA and Kangleipak as they became slaves under India despite attaining freedom barely a day apart.

Three years before India became a republic on January 26, 1950, Manipur had already implemented Manipur State Constitution Act, 1947 on July 26, 1947 and had a people's government under the Constitution by conducting adult franchise in 1948, the ASUK statement said, while recalling that the first ever Manipur State Assembly session was held on October 18, 1948 after formal opening by the then king as Constitutional monarchy.

A coalition government led by a political party named Praja Shanti started administration while all the voters and candidates of the election held in 1948 were bonafide citizens of Manipur.

According to the ASUK statement, characteristic of a sovereign state is having own flag and defending the country by own citizens and accordingly Manipur became the first nation in South East Asia to have a people's government.

Unfortunately, India forcibly merged Manipur on October 15, 1949 despite having a people's government and became a part of India as Part-C state, ASUK said.

Questioning if Manipur became part of India through plebiscite referendum of the people, the ASUK statement pointed out that some people might have wanted to merge with India during the time but the memorandum submitted by the then ruling party Praja Shanti to the then India's Prime Minister and Congress president on March 23,1949 clearly mentioned 'That almost cent per cent of the Manipuris are against integration or merging will be clear from a referendum.' During a public meeting held on August 3, 1949, the ruling Praja Shanti said 'The big gathering of today's protest public meeting unanimously passes the resolution that the Gadi (under Manipur Constitution, 1947) cannot be abolished and the state cannot be integrated or merged' .

This historical fact clearly says that the merger of Manipur to India was never accepted or discussed by the responsible government, which also means the people of Manipur, the ASUK statement added.

It further said that the status of Part-C State was very much inferior to Union Territory and almost at the level of a district and Manipur's statehood was given only in 1972.This indeed was a total disrespect and dishonour of the people of Manipur, which existed as a nation state for more than 2000 years, it added.

Questioning Manipur s present status after more than 75 years under Indian administration, ASUK said that the people of Manipur are now confined within a delineated area called buffer zone/red line almost akin to the Laxman Rekha of the Ramayana epic restricting free movement.

This indeed is the fruit that the people of Manipur got from merging with India.

India's denial of the people of Manipur as their own citizens is much more the idea that people of Manipur are not Indians and this has been exemplified from India's activities at present, ASUK said, adding that almost none of the people of Manipur are citizens of India.

According to the ASUK statement, the Constitution of India could not protect lives and properties of the people of Manipur though the citizens of India celebrate Republic Day since 1950 and now Indian leaders have openly said that Manipur is not a part of India.

Since May 3, 2023, Narendra Modi remains a silent spectator to the violence in Manipur and maintaining stoic silence.

At this juncture, it would be worth to remember the Indo-China war in 1962 wherein the then Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru said 'I pity for the people of Assam' through the radio, ASUK said, adding that there is no other option for the people of Manipur than to defend the land on their own in the present scenario.

In view of the prevailing situation, the only way pin-pointing to the people of Manipur is revival of the nation state status of 1948 by stopping living under India's political arrangement and structure.

This is the only way forward for the people of Manipur and accordingly there is no reason for the people to join India's Republic Day celebration on January 26 .

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