IMPHAL, April 22: The Coordination Committee (CorCom) of proscribed groups of the state has given revolutionary salute to the martyrs who laid down their lives during the Khongjom Battle of April 23, 1891 during the Anglo-Manipur war on Sunday.
Manipur had to fight the mighty British alone and that it did not get any help from its neighbors, CorCorm said in a statement while adding that during that time all the princes were engaged in uprisings against themselves for the throne which culminated in the interference of the British and the situation ripe for ultimate invasion of Manipur.
The then Manipur society was in the midst of a hybrid lifestyle of followers of Hindu religion and Meitei religion and they took little interest in the administration and economy of Manipur, CorCom said.
It also said the king and its officials committed atrocities against its countrymen owing to which no good relation existed between the king and its people. Hence, it was difficult to strengthen the unity, CorCom further added.
It’s a matter of fact that the war fought by Manipur could not be an easy one due to many weaknesses such as meager population, lack of proper weapons and the intellects of our forefathers were beyond comparison with the British, it further stated.
It added, the martyrs who fought the war knowing that they would surely defeat had created a mortal revolutionary spirit for the future generation to fight and regain the freedom.