ASUK maintained that the Republic Day of India is the “second Black day” for the people of Manipur, even though the day is a joyous occasion for the mainland Indians; a proud day in front of other countries, signifying the day on which the Constitution was adopted.
TFM Desk
The proscribed umbrella outfit Alliance for Socialist Unity, Kangleipak (ASUK) has declared a 12-hour “total shutdown” on January 26 — the Republic Day of India — in the whole of Kangleipak (Manipur). ASUK also urged the people to support the total shutdown as a reminder that they still remain as “colonial subjects”.
The total shutdown — from 6 am to 6 pm — will be relaxed for medical emergencies, religious activities and essential services, stated a release by ASUK’s Publicity Committee convenor S Mangal.
ASUK maintained that the Republic Day of India is the “second Black day” for the people of Manipur, even though the day is a joyous occasion for the mainland Indians; a proud day in front of other countries, signifying the day on which the Constitution was adopted. The “first Black day” is October 15, it added.
Based on the Constitution adopted on January 26, 1950, India “forcefully annexed” Manipur, which ASUK said had already gained independence and had a people’s government headed by the then king in name, in 1949. Then Manipur became a Part C State, a status beneath a Union Territory, it added.
The umbrella outfit of armed insurgents also recalled that in August of 2019, the Indian parliament passed the “The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019” and amended Article 370 to “forcefully bifurcate Jammu and Kashmir and demote to union territories”. Stating that many from India also criticized the incident as it violated international law, ASUK said that some even maintained that it was against “natural justice” and that it humiliated the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
ASUK also argued that the treatment of Manipur in 1949 by India was far worse than the one meted out to Jammu and Kashmir in 2019. The people of Manipur and WESEA should not be celebrating January 26, instead they should be mourning without touching food for the day, it added.
The release further criticised the self degradation of the rich cultural heritage of the land. After 73 years of Manipur becoming a part of India, the status of not just the land but the people has also been degrading, ASUK said. In order to appease the leaders from mainland India, swords and shields which were used only in battlefields or in front of gods and traditional dances which used to be tribute to the gods, are being displayed on the road side, it said.
“All these have been done to appease their masters. Unfortunately, it has not become a big issue as the people have accepted it,” ASUK lamented.
When a leader of Manipur said that WESEA has been a part of India since the time of Krishna of Mahabharata, the people remained silent as if they also agreed the same, it said.
ASUK also contended that the number of so-called leaders who believe that Manipur cannot survive if it is not a part of India, is also increasing. As if Manipur will die of starvation if Delhi does not provide, these leaders are swarming the party in power to Delhi akin to moths flying towards the fire. “This reflects how we rate ourselves,” it added.
The outlawed umbrella outfit further maintained that the “colonisation” of minds and hearts is thousand times worse than the “colonisation” of bodies. Even though the body is colonised, if the minds and hearts are not, then freedom can be attained someday, it said.
“The celebration of Republic Day of India is a part of soft powers that India is using to colonise the hearts and minds, erase history, degrade cultural heritage, and self degradation of dignity,” ASUK said.