10 hours general strike called in Manipur

Imphal: The Alliance for Socialist Unity Kangleipak (ASUK), one of the proscribed underground outfits, on Friday, announced boycotting India's Republic Day celebrations on January 26, calling a 10-hour total shutdown across Manipur on that day.

According to a statement issued by the ASUK publicity committee, the emergency services including fire stations, water department, media houses, medical services, and religious and ritual ceremonies will be exempted from the total shutdown period from 6 am to 4 pm.

The outfit protested against the forcible merger of an independent Kingdom Manipur nation with the Indian Union in 1949 stating that India became a republic with the adoption of its Constitution on January 26, 1950.

The first sitting of the first Manipur Legislative Assembly was held on October 18, 1948. Manipur gained independence from the British on August 14, 1947.

Advertisement

It alleged that India plays a political gambit through the State Government as its puppets. People of Manipur are colonized having the political system being seen as colonialism.

Regarding the ongoing conflict between the Kukis and Meeteis, the ASUK stated that without India's patronage, the Kukis would not be able to attack the Meeteis for so long.

The ASUK asserted that a single word from India would stop the Kuki offensive.
It also called upon the Indigenous people to resist the alleged colonial rule, adding, "We must be subjects, not objects".

It further said that for all these reasons, the general masses in the state must not participate in the Republic Day celebrations.