RPF sends out Mera Houchongba greetings
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 09 2011: The proscribed RPF and its army wing PLA have greeted the people of both the hills and valley of Manipur on the occasion of Mera Houchongba which falls on the 15th day of Manipuri calendar month Mera.

Mera Houchongba is an age-old festival which cannot be separated from the lives of all Manipuris, the outfit remarked in a press release issued by its Publicity Secretary T Leisemba.

Manipur, formed by different communities having different cultures and speaking different languages, is a land for both the indigenous hill people and plain people.

Even as the bond of love shared between the hill people and plain people was strained after Manipur lost its sovereignty, the new generations have started re-igniting the age old fraternal bond.

The festival of Mera Houchongba was first celebrated during the reign of Nongda Lairen Pakhangba and it continued till the period of Maharaj Kullachandra (1890-91) without any interruption.

After this, the festival started losing its sheen due to influence by western culture.

By 1949, when Manipur was allegedly annexed to India, sinister conspiracies aimed at dividing the hill people and plain people invaded the social fabric of Manipur.

In the name of pure and impure races, hill people and plain people were divided into two different groups.

Not satisfied with this, the Government of India imposed AFSPA in Manipur allegedly with an evil design to exterminate all the indigenous people.

Fortunately, the indigenous people have realised that their downtrodden situation was a result of Manipur being an "occupied nation." With this realisation, the indigenous people have started re-igniting their lost fraternal bonds, said Leisemba.

It is the bounden duty of the people of both the hills and valley to struggle collectively for restoring sovereignty of Manipur.

Stating that the hill people and plain people are related by blood and that they cannot be separated under any circumstances, Leisemba asserted that this fraternal bond need to be strengthened.

"Let this Mera Houchongba festival bind together all the people with love and mutual respect", the outfit added.

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