CorCoM declares total shutdown on ‘National Black Day’

IMPHAL | Oct 14

The proscribed umbrella organisation CorCoM, of various UG groups operating in the state has called for a total shut down of entire Manipur on October 15, otherwise known as “National Black Day” when King Bodhachandra was kept captive at Shillong and forced to sign the merger agreement in 1949.

As a part of the “National Black Day” observations, the total shut down will begin at midnight tomorrow and will end at 6 pm, said a release signed by media coordinator, Ksh. Yoihieba.

CorCoM appeals to the people of the State that all business activities, official duties, travelling, sports and games, and all festivities be relieved for the day to join the observation of National Black Day, it said. However, the shutdown will be relaxed for emergency services, media related work and matters related to faith, it added.   

Before India had its own constitution, Manipur already had created one and started implementing it by holding elections in 1948, it further said.

However, without the consent of the elected council of ministers and the people, the leaders of the India, under the pretence of ‘democracy’, kept the king of Manipur as a captive in the least democratic manner at Shillong and forced him to sign the treacherous “Manipur Merger Agreement” on September 21, 1949, it said. And consecutively on the October 15, India forcefully encroached upon Manipur and took it under its shadows, it added.   

Therefore, Manipur, which had been an independent kingdom, with its own unique history at South East Asia, was lowered down to the status of a hill district and turned into a colony of India, it said.

The people of that time were against the forceful merger of Manipur into India, it said. The people had been standing against the merger and ever since, the war to regain the freedom of Manipur had been going on for generations afterwards, it added. 

Massive public meetings were held at every nook and corner of Manipur declaring the merger as a forced annexation and the protest were raised against it in one united voice, it said.

Manipur State Constitution Act, 1947, international laws and other related papers were carefully studied in several meetings and declarations were made that the merger actually was an annexation and cannot be taken as valid, it continued. Above all, several resolutions were made with intellectuals of the State for regaining the sovereign status of Manipur, it added. 

The revolutionary war being waged against Indian colonisers is based on its true intentions to relieve the people from slavery, it continued. The purpose of this war is to bring us in into the global race of development, it said adding freedom is progress and progress itself comes from freedom. The organisation urges the people to join in the struggle to regain independence which was lost on October 15, 1949, it added.