Manipur: Life crippled in Imphal as rebels observe Black Day

Life in Manipur capital Imphal came to a partial halt as CorCom - the conglomerate of various rebel groups, observed a National Black Day with an 18-hour-long general strike that began at midnight on October 15.

The Maoist Communist Party Manipur also observed a Black Day, boycotting all celebrations or events related to the merger of Manipur with the Indian Union.

Inter-district passenger bus services and passenger-driven vehicles stayed off the roads, but diesel autos, Tata Magic and other private vehicles plied on different routes.

Almost all business establishments remained closed. Except for few vendors, almost all major shops, private banks, offices and nationalist banks did not operate.

In a press statement CorCom media coordinator Ksh Yoiheiba had stated that Manipur was forcibly merged into the Indian Union on October 15, 1949, and this was an incident that remains unforgettable to all people of Manipur. "Since the alleged forced merger, Manipuri people have been living a wretched life under an alleged colonial yoke. October 15 is one day on which all the people need to stand united against Indian rule," he said in his statement.

Yoiheiba further stated that the Manipur State Constitution Act 1947 was fully drafted by July 26, 1947 ahead of the departure of British colonial rulers from Manipur.

After the first democratic election was held in June 1948, a Council of Ministers was sworn in on October 18, 1948 at the Darbar Hall of Kangla. These events marked the establishment of a democratic Government in Manipur.

However, the Government of India kept the king of Manipur under house arrest at Shillong and forced him to sign the Manipur Merger Agreement on September 21, 1949. Manipur was annexed into the Indian Union on October 15, 1949, Ksh Yoiheiba of CorCom alleged.