Jadonang's sacrifice remembered on martyrdom anniversary
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, August 29 2022: Organised by Zeliangrong Civil Organisations (ZCOs), the 91st Martyrdom Anniversary of "Haipou Jadonang'' was held at Langthabal Chingkha Village, Imphal West District on Monday.

The event was attended by All Zeliangrong Students' Union AZSU (Assam, Manipur & Nagaland) president T Henry Chawang, Zeliangrong Youth Front (ZYF-Assam, Manipur & Nagaland) president M Lunglailung, All Zeliangrong Art and Culture president Poudongai Kamson, Zeliangrong Baudi ZB (Manipur) president Poupoklung Kamei and Zeliangrong Baudi (Assam, Manipur & Nagaland) vice-president Titus Kamei.

In a release, the ZCOs informed that during the function the speakers dwelt on the philosophy and ideology of Jadonang who with strong determination, mobilised the people and launched a resistance movement against the colonial rule in order to free his people from the op pression and suppression of colonial rule.

"In a bid to put an end to Jadonang's spearheaded Zeliangrong movement, the colonial administration had wrongly implicated Jadonang on unrelated murder charge and hanged till death on August 29, 1931 on the bank of Nambul river near Imphal Central Jail," said the release.

Every year on this day, many organisations ob serve Martyrdom Anniversary and Martyr's Day in different manners to mark his supreme sacrifice for the cause of the people but very few people seem to realise and understand the importance of supreme sacrifice, philosophy and ideology of Jadonang.

This is the reason why the Zeliangrong people in particular are suffering in different states of Indian union, it said.

The ZCOs maintained that Jadonang was a political leader, social reformer and a religious leader, but few who viewed Jadonang through their limited perspective, made the central government to take his supreme sacrifice for granted all these years.

It then appealed to all to understand the philosophy and ideology of "Jadonang" rather than paying mere respect and honour on his Martyr's Day.

It also urged the government to allocate certain amount of fund to Zeliangrong Civil Organisations to organise the martyrdom anniversary in a grand manner every year.

It also appealed to the state government to feel the pulse of the people and consider the background of Zeliangrong people particularly whose villages have been in existence many centuries ago especially in the foothills and mole hills peripheries to valley districts of the state.

The Zeliangrong body also mentioned that issuing show cause notice with eviction threat to Zeliangrong villages located in the peripheries of valley districts, on the ground for encroachment, lacks logic and shows government's intention of not being people friendly.

It clarified that those Zeliangrong villages were under the administration of Sadar Hills prior to merger into the valley districts around 1985.The government should find certain way out for those Zeliangrong villages which have been existence for centuries and to allow the people of those villages to live peacefully without disturbances like any other citizen of the state.

"From this 91st Martyrdom Anniversary observance onwards, let the people who respect, honour and value the supreme sacrifice of Haipou Jadonang follow his philosophy and ideology," said the release of ZCOs.

The event was also attended by village elders, senior leaders, women societies, youths and students' leaders.

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