NRFM urges to take April 27 seriously

Last Updated on September 24, 2023 by SPN Editor

Imphal (SPN) | The National Revolutionary Front, Manipur (NRFM) has stated that April 27 should not be taken lightly by the people of Manipur.

This is the day when the Union Jack of the British was flown for the first time at Kangla in 1891, after the British defeated Manipur in the Anglo-Manipur war of 1891 and replaced Manipur’s flag with the Union Jack.

Although April 27 is an important day for Manipur, as it marks the loss of sovereignty, the NRFM believes that many people in Manipur do not take the day seriously enough. The group is urging the people to recognize its significance.

The NRFM also noted that Manipur was under Burmese occupation for seven years from 1819 to 1826, British rule for 56 years from 1891 to 1947, and Indian rule for 74 years since 1949.

The group highlights the importance of remembering historical events such as the Seven Years of Devastation and the Anglo-Manipuri War of 1891, and the need to rectify the current practice of treating them as half-festivals.

The NRFM explained that Manipur’s military could not rise after April 27, 1891, and the British left no military weapon or wealth when they left Manipur on August 14, 1947.

The group also points out that there was no peace in Manipur from 1947 to 1949, as the British did not enact legislation like the “Manipur Independence Act, 1947,” leaving Manipur still under the “Divide and Rule” policy since 1891.

However, the NRFM notes that many people of Manipur, including women, are fighting to regain sovereignty by staying outside Manipur as underground activists.