IMPHAL, August 24: The Indigenous Peoples`™ Association of Kangleipak has handed over a memorandum seeking protection of Manipur`™s territorial boundary to BJP Manipur president Th Chaoba to be submitted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi today.
After handing over the memorandum to the BJP State president at the Nityaipatcuthek office of the BJP, IPAK president Sapamcha Jadumani said the memorandum concerns the August 3 signing of accord between the Government of India and the NSCN (IM).
The fact that the government of India has already declared to consult the neighbouring State government during its finalisation stage means that Manipur and the other neighbouring States will certainly be affected, he said.
This has made the people restive, he said, appealing to the BJP Manipur president to send the memorandum to the Prime Minister.
Jadumani also said that in the memorandum, the association has highlighted some important events of Manipur and its history.
It is mentioned that Manipur which was a princely state was merged into India by forcing the then king of Manipur Budhachandra to sign the Merger Agreement on September 21, 1949 at Shillong, and that the Shillong Times in its September 27, 1949 edition reported the agreement signing as `Manipur annexed by New Delhi,`™ he said.
IPAK has also highlighted in the memorandum that before the signing of the agreement, Manipur had its own government headed by Chief Minister MK Priyobarta and his council of ministers with our own Constitution, which means that the king was not the authority to sign the agreement, he said.
Following the signing of the agreement, the Manipur Assembly held its session at the Johnstone Higher Secondary School on September 29, 1949, around 2:30pm and adopted a resolution nullifying the merger agreement, IPAK has said in its memorandum, he continued.
However, on October 15, 1949, India notified that the Manipur (Administration) Order 1949 is extended to the whole of Manipur and that it has come into force, he said.
Later, on November 26, 1949, the Indian Constitution was declared but what is disheartening that the mention of Manipur in the Constitution was limited to only half a page, whereas the mention of other States are extended to even three four pages, he lamented.
India has with this started its step-motherly treatment of Manipur which is continued till today, he said.
Meanwhile, Chaoba also claimed that the BJP will fight against any disturbances on the territorial integrity of Manipur and that he will make the memorandum reach the party leaders at the earliest.
He said the party leaders will report it to the Prime Minister.
Chaoba said he has spoken to the Central government on several occasions regarding the territorial integrity of the State and the government has always responded positively that the territorial integrity will not be affected by the accord.