Manipur Chief Minister, N Biren Singh on Saturday virtually unveiled Kuki Rising Monument at C Aisan Village, Kangpokpi District from the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, Imphal. The unveiling ceremony of the monolith comes in even after the Kuki National Assembly (KNA), a pan-political organisation’s strong objection to the changes made by the state government to 2019 centenary commemoration of the Anglo-Kuki War memorial stone engraving, Anglo-Kuki War being erected that say: “In defense of our ancestral land and freedom”.
The Kuki National Assembly (KNA) on October 15 issued a letter to CM N Biren Singh saying that “it is lawful to remember by writing In defense of our ancestral land and freedom, because we did not fight these war in foreign land, it is the war our ancestors fought to defend our land”.
KNA President, Mangboi Haokip on his Thursday letter said that “many British writers” recorded the event as Anglo-Kuki War, as the inscription illustrates the war between the English and the Kukis, adding that “the Anglo-Kuki war occurred after the 28 years of the downfall of the kingdom of Manipur in the Anglo-Manipur war of Khongjom War 1891”.
Mangboi Haokip also stated that, “in 1946 when the King of Manipur Bodhchandra Singh signed the Merger Agreement, he got the pension privileged and compensation from Government of India same as other princely state avail the benefit. But the Kuki chief did not signed with the Indian Government and also never avail the pension or compensation from it. This is the testimonial truth which the world is to recognized our sovereignty”.
The Nagas in Manipur, exactly a year ago took strong objection to the centenary commemoration of the Anglo-Kuki War memorial stones engravings, Anglo-Kuki War being erected that say: “In defense of our ancestral land and freedom” which was erected in all the Kuki villages of Manipur, supported by the Kuki National Organisation, an umbrella body of 17 Kuki rebel groups.
The Tangkhul Naga Long, the apex body of the community during the time of the centenary commemoration said the inscription was “objectionable and unacceptable” as the Kukis were not “indigenous” to Manipur.