Demanding that a special status be given to Manipur as per the resolution of the public convention for ‘Special Status to Manipur’ that was held on December 26 in 2020, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 19.
COCOMI coordinator L Ratankumar told the media at the head office of United Committee Manipur (UCM), Lamphel, Imphal West on Monday that Manipur is one of the oldest nation in Southeast Asia with having a history of 2,000 years under a dynasty with own unique polity, economy, tradition and cultural heritage. This continued till it was made a subordinate native state after the British conquest in 1891 after the Anglo-Manipur war of 1891, he said.
Before the annexation to India, Manipur was not politically related to India and after Manipur was ‘annexed’ by India during the Shillong agreement on September 21, 1949, no representatives from Manipur were made to be involved while forming the Indian Constitution, he added.
The memorandum submitted to Prime Minister mentioned that “in 1950, the Government of lndia established an Advisory Council of 5 members, 3 from the valley and 2 from the hill with the Chief Commissioner as the president. However, this council was toothless as it was only an advisory body and administration was as per the whims of the Chief Commissioner. While as a union territory, it had no significant power and in 1963 the Manipur Territorial Council was renamed Manipur Territorial Assembly but business was as usual with very limited autonomy. After a long struggle and a series of agitations, Manipur was granted statehood on 21st January 1972 but there was no specific constitutional protection as done in the case of Nagaland through Article 371 A. Further, salt was rubbed to the wound when Mizoram was provided with special provisions under Article 371 G.”
Ratankumar said if the Indian Government considered Manipur as a part of the country, then the Central government should provide special status to Manipur.
He further said several civil society organisations had been shouting not to compromise the territorial integrity and boundary of Manipur. However, as per the article 2 and 3 of the Indian Constitution, a boundary of a state can be created or changed by the Indian Parliament. He said the two articles cannot guarantee the territorial boundary of Manipur.
The people have been demanding to repeal the Armed Forces Special Power Act but the politicians of the state are responding that it cannot be turned into action without the consent of the Central government. This is due to lack of a ‘Special Status’ to Manipur, he added.
Various issues of the state including border issues, ILP issues and others can be easily solved if ‘Special Status’ is given to Manipur, Ratankumar asserted.
