Amid the ethnic violence in Manipur, an apex body of seven militant outfits in Manipur on Saturday gave a call to boycott Independence Day programmes, besides calling for a 17-hour general shutdown on August 15.
In a statement, CorCom, an apex body of banned outlawed groups, said that the political status of Manipur declined abruptly with the "Indian annexation of Manipur on October 15 1949 by which sovereign Manipur was reduced to just a Chief Commissioner's Province".
“From Part 'C' State in 1950, Manipur was crafted into a Union Territory in 1956. Not only did the Indian colonial rule promulgate the notorious AFSPA, and several other draconian laws in the whole of Manipur, it continued to play a divisive policy among the several ethnic groups intermittently, which has now resulted into wanton ethnic clashes.”
The statement said that the illegal Manipur Merger Agreement, 1949 wiped out the sovereign history of Manipur that led to the "imposition of August 15 celebration among the ethnic groups of Manipur".
"Now, the time has come for all the ethnic groups inhabiting Manipur since time immemorial to stand up as 'Manipur People' to resist this colonial regime and pave the way for the scientific political development of our oppressed people towards exercising their inalienable right to self-determination.
"The present ethnic impasse resulted due to India's use of ‘Hate Game and Hate Crime’ as a part of Proxy War of the counter-insurgency operation. All the struggling and oppressed indigenous people of Manipur should now realise the Indian colonial policy of killing two birds with one stone and the impossibility of the restoration of the lost sovereignty of Manipur within the framework of the colonial Constitution of India under the guise of any peace talk," the statement stated.
The militant outfit under the CorCom included Kangleipak Communist Party, Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup, People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (Prepak), Prepak-Pro, Revolutionary People’s Front, People’s Liberation Army and United National Liberation Front.
HM Shah stresses on mapping of demographic data of people along India-Myanmar border
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said that the demographic data of people along the India-Myanmar border, especially in Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur, should be mapped so that it can help in fencing of the border and infiltration can be stopped.
Drugs worth Rs 78 crore seized in Tripura, one held
In a major haul, the Assam Rifles in coordination with the other law enforcing agencies on Saturday seized 3.9 lakh methamphetamine tablets valued at around Rs 78 crore and arrested a drug peddler in Tripura, officials said on Saturday.
Manipur: Arms and ammunition recovered; two held with drugs
Manipur Police and other security forces recovered some arms and ammunition from different fringe and vulnerable areas and arrested two persons with drugs on Saturday, officials said.
New Maha Cabinet: Fadnavis keeps Home, Shinde gets Urban Development, Ajit Pawar in charge of Finance
Finally, the wait is over. Governor CP Radhakrishnan on Saturday approved the portfolio allocation to the ministers as recommended by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The list was released after the conclusion of a weeklong winter session.
Explained: Key recommendations of 55th GST Council meet
From reducing GST rate on fortified rice kernel (FRK) to fully exempt GST on gene therapy, the 55th GST Council meeting, chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, on Saturday made some key recommendations to provide relief to individuals and businesses.
India a natural trade and commerce partner of Kuwait: PM Modi
India has been a natural trading partner of Kuwait and continues to be so in contemporary times and people-to-people linkages over centuries have fostered a special bond of friendship between the two countries, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar brings peace through meditation to UN headquarters consumed by global turmoil
Eighteen minutes of tranquility descended on the world organisation’s headquarters consumed by global turmoil as Sri Sri Ravi Shankar led a meditation session as a path to peace at the United Nations.
NE not just strategically important but also an epitome of nation's diversity, culture: Minister
Union Minister of State for DoNER Sukanta Majumdar on Friday underscored the strategic importance of the northeastern region and said that the region is not just a geographically significant part of the country but it is also an epitome of the nation's diversity, culture, and strategic importance.