Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 20:
Taking strong exception against the reported decision of the State Government to band for observing Manipur Independence Day on August 14, AMSU today questioned what is anti-National in observing a historical date.
In a statement, the student body said that history is proof that Manipur was once an independent country and before the British left India on August 15, 1947, they left Manipur on August 14, 1947.This is a fact, said AMSU and added that if observing a historical date is taken as being anti-National then it amounts to saying that the Manipuri people are prisoners of India, ever since Manipur merged with the Indian Union in 1949.The steps taken up by the Government to ban AMSU is nothing but to weaken it and in such a circumstances the only gainer will be entities like the NSCN (IM) as AMSU has been one of the most influential pressure groups to oppose the agenda of the IM group, said the student body.
The statement further questioned why it should be banned when the Government has not done anything to ban ANSAM, despite the High Court ruling that the economic blockade was unlawful and unconstitutional.
The decision of the Government to ban AMSU for observing Manipur's Independence day is nothing but a step to trample on the history of the land, said the statement and questioned what is wrong in observing a day which is of immense historical value to the people of Manipur.
If observing such a day is deemed anti-National then it amounts to saying that the people of Manipur have no right to celebrate its history, countered the student body.