Indian Independence & Forgotten Role of Kukis in INA 1942

 Indian Independence and Forgotten Role of Kukis in Indian National Army (INA) 1942

By: Dr TS Haokip, Chairman, Kuki Reformation Forum (KReF) 

The Indian Revolt of 1857 or Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 in the Indian History was the basic foundation for Indian nationalism and Indian Freedom movement.

To resist  British colonial rule over Indians, various protest movements under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi and Subhas Chandra Bose were initiated one after the other till 1947 for independence. 

On 8 August 1942, a non-violent Quit India Movement was launched in protest against the British colonial regime in India under Mahatma Gandhi and the next month in September 1942, as a radical leader, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose founded the Azad Hind Faij or Indian National Army (INA) to fight against colonial authorities which was joined by many Indians including patriotic warriors from northeastern regions and Manipur  state. 

Ethnic Kuki  warriors from present Manipur who were not willing to go to France as portals and fought the British for consecutive three years war known as "KUKI RISING 1917-1919" by the British, (Col. LW Shakespeare's The Assam Rifles, 1977 & Major General DK Palit's Sentinels of the Northeast, 1984) considered the momentum of Indian freedom movement as chance to fight the British again for the second time who crushed them in 1919 and imprisoned them in Sadiya and Andaman & Nicobar Island cellular jails, (R.E Holland, Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign & Political Department, dated Delhi, 8 December 1919).

This conflict between the mighty British troops and Kuki warriors was locally known as 'Anglo- Kuki War 1917-1919 by the Kukis (The Anglo- Kuki War 1917-19 by Col. (Dr) Vijay Chenji, 2022), and privately known as Zougal or Thadou Gal respectively. But the Foreign & Common Wealth Office, United Kingdom (UK) in their letter dated 30 December 2019 to the Chairman of KReF had acknowledged the Kuki Rising 1917-1919 and regretted the Loss of Lives and properties during the war. The letter also stated the continual respect to all those killed  warriors and owing to this very reason United Kingdom (UK) and India enjoyed flourishing partnership. 

About 200 Kuki freedom fighters and Meitei Manipuris from Manipur joined INA or Azad Hind Fauj of Subhas Chandra Bose in 1942-43. 

The government of India in honour of those Indian National Army patriots from Manipur established INA Memorial Complex at Moirang Manipur state and inscripted on Huge Marble slap in Golden Ink the names of 198 Freedom fighters from Manipur of whom 170 were Kukis with 26 Meiteis and 02 Bengalese respectively. (List of Freedom Fighters at INA Memorial Complex, Moirang, Manipur).

POINTS TO NOTE:

1. Before the coming of the British East India Company in India in the year 1608 and  establishment of British India during 17th and 18th centuries, and before the creation of Indian Union and Manipur state merger into Indian union on 21 September 1949, ethnic Kukis were free in their own independent territory (Sir G A Grierson's Kuki Country 1904).

2. The Kukis were politically, socially and economically  subjugated at third degree by the mighty British imperialism by trifurcating their ancestry territory into three international boundaries as parts of India, Myanmar (Burma) and Chittagong (Bangladesh) in 1947, 1948 and 1972 respectively.

3. This politically and socially subjugated and fragmented community across three international boundaries becomes a minority ethnic group and sometimes tagged as 'Refugee' in their own ancestry habitation. They are known by different names such as Kuki in Northeastern India, Chin in Myanmar/ Burma, Mizo in Mizoram state of India and those tribes/ groups in Chittagong Hill Tracks of Bangladesh remained unnoticed and unrecognised.  

4. Statehood in India is usually based on Linguistic basis and so far the demand for Kuki statehood by the Kuki people in their Socio- Political plateform called 'Kuki National Assembly (KNA) founded in the year 1946 prior to Indian Independence remains a bird in a bush even after 75 years of Indian Independence. Having no other options, hundreds of Kuki youths took up arms for Kuki statehood since 1980s which GoI had signed an SoO/ suspension of operation with 2 Kuki umbrella organisations, KNO and UPF and negotiated it just for Territorial Council (TC) in principle starting on 22 August 2008 which is not yet materialised even after the passage of consecutive 12 years. 

PLEDGE:

It is high time for government of India in particular and the whole World community in general to protect and safeguard this politically subjugated and vanishing community, a one time powerful warrior community with own territory today are humiliated, trampled and treated as stepson in all the three countries of India, Myanmar and Bangladesh. 

Political vulnerability of the Kukis need to be solved by concerned authorities and their long due political shares to be given is the need of Indian geopolitics as of now to stop Kuki militancy and insurgency in northeast India. 

APPENDIX

As for franchise or right to vote and to contest Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha elections, Shri Paokai Haokip was the first elected Kuki Member of Parliament (MP) in Lok Sabha from Outer Manipur Parliamentary constituency in 1967. Other elected Kuki MPs from Manipur are shri N. Gouzagin, shri Holkhomang Haokip, Shimati Kim Gangte and Shri Thangso Baite respectively. 

For the State Assembly known as Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) or Vidhan Sabha, since the statehood of Manipur state in 1972, starting from the first till the 12th Manipur State Legislative Assembly, 10 each MLAs from both Manipuri Naga and Kuki communities are elected democratically from their respective stronghold constituencies, (General Election to Vidhan Sabha Trends  & Results, March 2022). 

FULL VIDEO:

https://youtu.be/324ko-_qqa0?si=7GebTG4mnCAo4pl4

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