Manipur Insurgent Groups Call for Statewide Shutdown on October 15 to Protest Merger with India

Several banned insurgent groups have called for a statewide shutdown in Manipur on Thursday, October 15, to observe what they call “National Black Day” and protest the state’s 1949 merger with India. In a press statement, National Revolutionary Front of Manipur (NRFM) information and publicity secretary Sanajoaba Meitei described the date as a turning point that marked the loss of Manipur’s political independence. The outfit urged the public, intellectuals, civil society organisations and educational institutions to observe the day. It also called for nationwide discussions on the historical and political circumstances surrounding the 1949 merger, which it claims continue to influence political discourse in the state. The Coordination Committee (CorCom), a coalition of the KCP, KYKL, PREPAK, PREPAK-Pro, RPF and UNLF, announced a 12-hour shutdown from 6 am to 6 pm. The Socialist Revolutionary Party (SOREPA) separately called for a strike from 5 am to 5 pm. Medical emergencies, media services and religious activities have been exempted from the shutdowns. The NRFM cited the 1993 National Convention on the Manipur Merger Issue to support its legal and political position. The convention rejected the validity of the Merger Agreement signed on September 21, 1949, alleging that it was signed under coercion in Shillong. The formal transfer of administration took effect on October 15, 1949. The outfit also cited Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter, which protects the territorial integrity and political independence of states, and alleged that India had violated the provision. The NRFM further described the ongoing unrest in the region as an international armed conflict. It alleged that external armed proxies had been used since May 3, 2023, to suppress Manipur’s national movement. The outfit said it would join other underground groups in actively participating in the protest.