The
Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, today handed over the Kangla Fort to the
Government of Manipur. Addressing a
public meeting on the occasion at Imphal in Manipur, the Prime Minister said:
“This is a historic day for all of
us. I am happy to be with you all on
this solemn occasion of the handing over of the Kangla Fort Complex to the
Government of Manipur.
The
Kangla Fort is coming under the direct control of the State Government for the
first time after it was conquered by the forces of the British Empire in
1891. This historic event is taking
place the day after the birth anniversary of Indira Gandhi who, as the Prime
Minister of India, had inaugurated the formation of the Manipur State on 21st
January 1972 and said that 'Manipur is a real gem (a Mani) of India' 'It is
our wish', said Indiraji, 'that Manipur may shine like a gem and impart beauty
to the whole of India'.
If
Manipur is, as Pandit Nehru said, the Jewel of India, then Kangla Fort is the
Crowning Jewel. Kangla Fort is the
nucleus of the Manipur State and symbolizes not only temporal power but also
the spiritual and religious traditions of the people. Around it grew Manipur and its ethos and Manipur held sway with
the majesty of its political authority, the might of its military prowess and
the glory of its sacred realm.
The
ancient heritage of Manipur and its tradition of bravery continue to echo
throughout the length and breadth of the State and inspires the rest of the
country. The Kangla Fort exemplified
the bravery of Manipuris and witnessed many a fierce battle against British
authorities who wanted to capture it and conquer its people. In India’s struggle for Independence the
Kangla Fort had a special role in becoming a centre of resistance and
sacrifices to check the onward march of the British forces to this part of
India. Therefore, in the history of
Manipur and also of our country as a whole, the Kangla Fort occupies a pre-eminent
position reminding us of the fight of our people for Independence.
The
Kangla Fort is revered as the holiest place by Manipuris living in the State
and outside. Therefore, they consider
it as a centre of pilgrimage. Woven
into the history and mythology of the State, it casts a spell on the minds of
its inhabitants and deeply influences them and their thinking. In response to popular demand and popular
feelings, the Government of India, therefore, decided to pass on the ownership of
this majestic Fort to the State Government.
Just as Kangla Fort occupies the pride of place in the heart of Manipuri
people, Manipur itself occupies a very special place in the hearts of all
Indians. Manipur is the sacred land
where the fight launched by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose against our colonizing
power, the British, reached the climax.
In fact, the first place on Indian soil, where the National Flag was
hoisted was Moirang in Manipur. The
farthest reach of the Indian National Army of Netaji was in Manipur and the
stories of the battle for Imphal are stirring.
Many Indian patriots laid down their lives in search of freedom and
glory in this land. I am told that many
people of Manipur were also involved in fighting as part of the INA. This demonstrates that patriotism and love
for our nation are deeply embedded in the psyche of Manipuris just as in other
parts of the country.
By
deciding the transfer the ownership of the Kangla Fort to the people of
Manipur, we salute their patriotism and love for our nation.
I
must compliment the Government of Manipur on their plans to restore the glory
of this Fort and make it a unique archaeological park in the entire
north-eastern region. It is heartening
to note that the Kangla Development Project includes a scheme to plant
indigenous trees and medicinal plants around the Fort. While congratulating the people and the
Government on this occasion and thanking them for their warm welcome and gracious
hospitality to me and the members of my team, I must share my thoughts with
you.
As
you know Manipur and its culture and tradition has always fascinated people in
the rest of India. Our first Prime
Minister Jawaharlal Nehru visited Manipur in 1952 and in a letter to the Chief
Minister referred to the State and its people in glowing terms and paid tribute
to their artistry, culture, character and above all the women of the State
whose freedom and independence left a mark on his mind. He wrote 'For Manipur to lose its
distinctive character and culture would be a misfortune'. Keeping in mind the richness and diversity
of the culture of this State, Pandit Nehru referred to Manipur as the
Switzerland of the East and the Jewel
of India.
As I
had told you earlier, it was Indira Gandhi who positively responded to the
yearnings of the Manipuris to have a separate State so that they could fashion
their destiny and develop in consonance with their own genius. It is important and instructive to recall that
Indira Gandhi, while studying in Shantiniketan, belonged to the Manipur Group and
learnt Manipuri dance. In fact during
his visit to the State in 1952, Panditji saw a number of dances in Manipur and
wrote, 'The normal dances that we see elsewhere in India seem pale and insipid
in comparison with this show at Manipur – the dancers were professionals and
had many years of hard training. But no
amount of training can give that artistic touch and vitality, which I found
there, unless the people possess it'. This natural grace is what makes Manipuri unique in all art forms
and a cause of pride for all Indians.
In
addition to its excellence in art forms, Manipur has been excelling in the
recent past in the field of sports.
Many do not know that polo has been played here for centuries – much
before the British introduced
it in the rest of India. Manipur has
been excelling in most sports, ranging from football and hockey to weightlifting
and archery. Manipur sportspersons are
household names across the country. I
hope that it continues to produce world-class sportsmen and women who will bring
glory to our nation.
Given
the diversity of culture and traditions in Manipur and the strong bonds that
like Manipuris with their fellow citizens, I believe that Manipur should
benefit from the economic growth processes which are transforming our
country. We must rid our nation of want
and disease and provide a decent, dignified, peaceful life to all citizens. I commit our government to the rapid
development of Manipur so that the people of Manipur live up to their full
potential and enjoy the benefits of peace and prosperity.\
Our
government is committed to addressing the concerns and grievances of the people
of Manipur. I met representatives of
some organizations of Manipur in Delhi.
I sympathized with the pain and sorrow of the mothers who had lost their
children. Having given my assurance
that we will try to redress legitimate grievances on the Armed Forces Special
Powers Act, we have set up a committee to review the provisions of the
Act. The Committee will suggest checks
and balances in the Act or replacing it with a more humane law which takes into
account your legitimate aspirations and national security concerns. It will complete its work in six
months. I hope the work of this
committee will result in lasting peace and harmony.
The
progress and development of Manipur will be advanced if peace and order
prevails. We must today resolve to
eschew all violent methods of settling grievances and join the constitutional
processes to find solutions. As early
as 1940, when a group of Manipuris met Mahatma Gandhi and informed him about
the agitation they had launched against the discrimination imposed against
them, Gandhiji advised them to keep agitation absolutely peaceful and
non-violent. When constitutional and
other legal methods are available to redress our grievances it is not proper to
resort to arms to register protests against the Government, which is willing to
seek remedies to the problems of the people.
I appeal to all sections of Manipur society to come forward and engage
themselves in the task of nation building so that jointly we can usher in an
era of peace and prosperity for the people.
I
have already said we want to improve Manipur’s connectivity to the region
around. We would like to invest in the
creation of modern infrastructure to enable this. However, for this to happen, we need peace, security and
political stability. If we can work
together to bring normalcy back I can assure you that Manipur will become Jewel
of India.
Let
the handing over of the Kangla Fort, the pride and glory of the State, open a
new chapter in the history of Manipur, a chapter of understanding, amity,
peace, justice and prosperity for all of us.”
(Release ID :4979)