IMPHAL: Life came to a halt in Imphal on Thursday following a general strike called by various underground outfits of the state in protest against “forceful merger of Manipur with the Union of India on this day in 1949”.
On September 21, 1949, the merger agreement was signed between then Maharaja of Manipur, Bodhachandra and the Indian dominion in Shillong, and the agreement led to the merger of Manipur with India on October 15 that year.
The rebel groups, including the Coordination Committee (CorCOM) of some prominent outfits, Alliance for Socialist Unity, Kangleipak (ASUK) and the United People’s Revolutionary Front of Manipur (UPRFM), are fighting to restore Manipur’s “past independence”. They alleged that Bodhachandra was “forced” to sign the agreement by India. Denouncing what they termed as the “annexation of Manipur”, the proscribed organisations observe October 15 every year as “National Black Day”.
Business establishments in Imphal city were closed and only a few vehicles were seen plying in the streets. Attendance of various government offices was thin. The strike also hit life in other districts of the state.
Police kept a tight vigil at various strategic areas in Imphal city to thwart any untoward incident during the strike. Because of the shutdown, canvassing for the November 7 bypolls to the seven assembly seats of the state was also stopped.