Newmai News Network
MAO GATE, August 27
[dropcap]A[/dropcap] high power committee would be set up by the Government of India to translate the demand for Alternative Arrangement, pending settlement of the Indo-Naga issue into a political reality, said L. Adani, president, United Naga Council (UNC) while speaking at the 66th Anniversary of Martyrs’ Day at Mao Gate, Senapati district today.
Organised by the Mao Council under the aegis of United Naga Council, the day was observed to honour Asiisii Hepuni of Punanamei, Mahriili Lohrii and Modo Kholi, both of Kalinamei who were shot dead on the spot and Daikho Hesho of Chowainamai Khullen and Obow Adani of Punanamei who were grieviously wounded and later succumbed to buller injuries from the indiscriminate firings of the Assam Rifles and Manipur police on August 27, 1948.A landmark in the history of political movement of the Nagas of Manipur. Thus the “No Tax Campaign” was launched when Maharaj Kumar Priyobrata Singh was the Chief Minister of Manipur. The Nagas in Manipur refused to pay the annual House Tax to the Government of Manipur and under the aegis of the Naga Natinal League (NNL) submitted their annual house tax to Charles Pawsey, D.C. of Naga Hills of Assam at Kohima.
It was an act of defiance against the Authority of the State, under which the Nagas of Manipur had been placed without their consent. It was also a means of putting pressure on the Indian Government for securing the merger of the Nagas in Manipur with the Naga Hills District.
The Manipur Maharaja, Budha Chandra was in good terms with Sir Akbar Hydari, the then Governor of Assam, who was requested by the Maharaja to send a contingent of Assam Rifles to arrest Mr. A.Daiho. Sir Akbar Hydari, well known for his anti Naga political stand, gladly approved and dispatched a contingent of 4th Assam Rifles along with State Police equipped with rifles and machine guns, to Mao Gate on 27th August 1948. The Assam Rifles took position in and around Mao Inspection Bungalow in war like fashion and indiscriminately fired at the volunteers and students of the Mao-Maram Tribal Council (now Mao, Maram, Poumai, Thangal and Upper Zeliang) who were blocking the road leading to the residence of Mr. A. Daiho.
The occasion marked the significance of Martyrs day, August 27, 1948 and brought out the fair detail about how political consciousness developed among the Nagas who were once living in blissful isolation in the village republics and how the people started asserting the rights for self determination and desire to live together.
UNC chief L Adani narrated on how in the course of consolidation of the political movement the No-Tax Campaign of 1948 against the Manipur government and the horrific experience of the August 27, 1948 at Mao Gate which has become an indelible landmark which consolidated the foundation of the political journey of the Naga people. He went on to say that the particular day was written down in the annals of history with the blood of the martyrs and the many who were wounded.
Adani also brought out the importance of the observation which was to make the incident afresh in the minds of the people and mentioned that the UNC’s political aspiration is based on their identity, culture and history.
