24-hour shutdown by banned outfit over 1949 merger disrupts Manipur capital
The shutdown impacted commuters, public transport, educational institutions and market places in the capital city
The National Revolutionary Front Manipur (NRFM), an illegal underground group, imposed a 24-hour statewide shutdown on September 20-21, protesting the 1949 merger of Manipur with India, which they deemed illegal. This shutdown disrupted daily life in five Imphal Valley districts, impacting commuters, public transport, schools, and markets in Imphal, the capital city.
Only a few workers showed up for work, with no protestors seen on the streets. Security forces were stationed at crucial points in Imphal city as a security measure. NRFM spokesperson, Sanajaoba Meitei, issued a statement describing the merger as an unjust annexation of Manipur's sovereignty, questioning the circumstances of the agreement's signing.
The group claimed the merger was signed under duress and without the consent of the then-elected Manipur legislative assembly. They referred to the Manipur State Constitution Act, 1947, and the institutions established in 1948 to argue that Manipur had its own constitution before formally joining India on October 15, 1949. NRFM, formed on September 11, 2011, previously known as the United Revolutionary Front, was created by three factions of the Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) and operates from bases across the border.
On September 20, the NRFM attacked a convoy of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Khonghampat village, Imphal West, arresting three individuals and recovering weapons.
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