IMPHAL, August 27: The sacrifice made by the brave Haipou Jadonang for ushering a better future for his community, and his struggle against the colonial regime has become more relevant today, said a statement of the Coordination Committee, a conglomerate of six proscribed organisations of Manipur, namely: KCP, KYKL, PREPAK, PREPAK (Pro), RPF & UNLF.
The statement signed by its media coordinator, H Poirei has paid revolutionary salute to Jadonang on his 83rd death anniversary which is on August 29. Praising Jadonang for his pioneering leadership role he played for Kabui community in particular and Manipur in general, while fighting against the British, it said Jadonang’s struggle was towards achieving sovereignty of the land.
Recalling that Jadonang was born to Thiudai and Tabonliu in Kambiron village of Tamenglong, in the year 1905, when British colonial rule prevailed over Manipur following the 1891 battle, it said Jadonang grew up to be an upright patriot.
The statement continued that Jadonang stood against oppressive decrees of the then colonial British and the King, who forced upon hill people to do hard manual jobs like carrying their loads; collecting undue taxes from households etc.
It continued that Jadonang firm stand gave a clarion call against the human right violations meted out to the people, and thereby gave an impetus to anti-colonial struggle. Jadonang unmasked the sinister designs of colonialism by following the indigenous culture and religion, Jadonang had a firm belief that he could save his countrymen from the colonial yoke, said the statement.
Further, the statement said Jadonang’s action of mobilising his countrymen against the British became a big headache for the coloniser. Accordingly, the British hatched a plan to capture Jadonang by giving false charges to him. Jadonang was captured on February 19, 1928 from Binakandi, Cachar.
Adding that Jadonang was tried by the then political agent JC Higgins, who acted as both judge and prosecutor, charged him with IPC Section 302/109 and 320/149, without giving any opportunity to defend himself; the statement maintained that Jadonang was hanged to death on August 29, 1931 near the bank of Nambool River in a hasty manner.
Had Jadonang been alive for a longer time, without getting caught by the British, the history of anti-colonial struggle would have taken a different course, it said.
The statement continued that there is an urgent need to follow the footsteps of Jadonang by today’s generation, whose ideals were based on indigenous and cultural moorings. It said the colonial legacy of the British is still being practiced by India; therefore it is important to fight against the colonial oppression with the same ideals of Jadonang.
Further continuing that the Indian colonial regime has been trying to erase the rich indigenous imprints of this land from the surface of the earth, it said there is no other way, except furthering the anti-colonial struggle with a united force of the people. This will be a true tribute to Jadonang, the statement added.
