The Political History of Manipur (Demand for the restoration of Legislative Assembly)

By: Usham Dhananjoy Singh


Secretary to the government of Manipur, Home and Development Department vide letter No. HP/83/54 dt 10th January 1955 informed the under secretary to the government of India, Ministry of State New Delhi about the detention of Rishang Keishing as follows:

"Since Shri Rishang Keishing is one of the main organisers of this agitation and as he is responsible for bringing in volunteers from the hill areas under one pretext or another and who are quite unaware of the political situation, it is considered that his detention could be conducive to the maintenance of law and order and public tranquility. The Hill people have now realished that they have been misled and the result was that no volunteers for Hill areas came down to Imphal to continue agitation.”

However, the hill people continued their agitation in the hills particularly in the Ukhrul Sub-Division. The leaders of the movement were going about the hill areas asking people not to pay taxes till their demand of assembly was conceded by the government of India. Picketing of government offices had begun in these areas using criminal force to member of the public and staff who desired to enter these offices. In addition to all these, they had also in an organised manner started creating dangerous obstruction to the public roads without the slightest warning. On 16/2/1955 a large number of hill P.S.P. agitators picketed and broke the windows of the the SDO/Ukhrul. They tried to kidnap the SDO. One of the police constables belonging to the Hill Area was asked to quit his service and threatened with dire consequences if he would not do so. The wooden bridge at Nongshangkhong on M.S. 36 Ukhrul Road was burnt by locals on the night of 22-23 February 1955.

On 27 January 1955 Rishang Keishing made his representation to the Advisory Board under the Preventive Detention Act 1950. It reads:

2. With the integration, the legistative Assembly and the Cabinet were dissolved against the will of the people and in its stead a sort of one man rule since then had been imposed in this state, with the deprivation of legislative and inherent rights of the people of the state to have the legislative Assembly and the Cabinet Government as are enjoyed by some part C states where responsible Government have been established.
3. That the people of Manipur have been demanding the restoration of the legistative Assembly thus dissolved. Majority of the people are not satisfied with the mere creation of the nominated Advisory council which, far from benefitting the people, has impoverished the people more and more.

4. The Proja Socialist party of Manipur through its representative made various representations to the government of India demanding for the immediate restoration of the Legistative Assembly which Manipur had before the days of integration by dissolving the present Chief Commissioner's rule and the Advisory Council. The Government of India paid no heed to the legitimate demand. The communication of the Government of India's decision to await until the submission of the report of the Bamdary commission was considered meaningless. The Proja socialist party of Manipur, having no other people of Manipur towards launching a peaceful satyagraha movement until the demand is conceded to the movement is being backed by the majority of the people of Manipur.

5. The movement which has been continuing even now was peaceful and non-violent in all its stages in accordance with the precept of non-violence as taught by Mahatma Gandhi.

Meanwhile, Bashiruddin Ahmed Extra Assistant Commissioner and first class Magistrate on a charge under section 151 I.P.C. sentenced Shri Rishang Keishing and Somorendra Singh and Sentenced to 2 months simple imprisonment. Trial commenced on 28.12.54 and ended on 31.1.55 and found guilty U/S 151 IPC.
The detention of Shri Rishang Keishing was revoked and released on 24th Feb 1955. That of Sougaijam Somorendra Singh S/o late Ibungochou Singh of Moirangkhom on 23/2/1955.