Many decry bid to distort history

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Aug 13: The Protection and Preservation Committee Manipur (PPCM) and the Joint Students' Coordination Committee (JSCC) have strongly condemned the   display of a photograph of a woman over the backdrop of the map of India in between photographs of Bir Tikendrajit and Thangal General during a Patriot's Day observation organised by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at Lamyanba Shanglen here today.
While the JSCC has announced that it has put a ban on the RSS from organising any event related to the State and the people, PPCM has demanded a clarification on the matter.
Speaking to media persons this evening, PPCM convenor N Bimol decried that RSS was trying to distort the history of Manipur.
Bimol said that the Patriot's Day is one of the most important events for the people Manipur and added that RSS was attempting to distort this glorious history by displaying a photograph of a woman which has the map of India in the background during the Patriot's Day observation today. Any such attempt would not be tolerated in future, said the PPCM convenor.
He added that the organisers of the particular function ought to tender an apology to the people of Manipur.
PPCM publicity convenor Ph Deban pointed that the Anglo-Manipur War of 1891 was fought between independent Manipur and the British empire.
Later after the war, Bir Tikendrajit and Thangal General were hung to death by the British colonial rulers.
RSS has created confusion among the masses about Patriot's Day and the history behind it by using a photograph of a woman which has the map of India in the background during a Patriot's Day observation today, Deban decried.
He then warned the organisers of the particular function not to ever commit such high-handedness in future.
He also asked the organisers to come out with a clarification regarding their idea behind the particular photograph.   
The JSCC on the other hand today announced that it has imposed a ban on the RSS from organising any historic event concerning Manipur any further.
Speaking to media persons at Manipuri Students' Federation (MSF) office at Kwakeithel today, JSCC convenor Peter Laishram said that August 13 has been observed by the people of the State as Patriot's Day in honour of the brave and courageous patriots who made supreme sacrifice to safeguard their motherland.
Today, Patriot’s Day celebration was also observed by RSS at Lamyanba Shanglen today but the observation was held in a completely wrong manner and in the wrong sense, he alleged, adding that such conduct by the RSS might show Patriot's Day observation in the wrong light in front of others.
Condemning the act, Peter continued that during the observation of the historic day, the banner contained the symbol of “OM” and a picture of Bharat Mata was placed in the middle of two other patriots who had laid down their lives for Manipur.
Asking RSS to clarify as to why the symbol was put in the banner and also why a portrait of Bharat Mata had to be there among the photos of the patriots as it is totally unrelated to the observation, Peter Laishram demanded the organisation to apologise to the people of Manipur for organizing the day in a completely wrong and twisted manner.
He further announced that JSCC has imposed a total ban on RSS from organizing any kind of such historic events related to Manipur in the future.
On the other hand, DESAM and AIMS have also strongly condemned the act of the RSS today, claiming that putting a photo of Bharat Mata in between the portraits of two patriots should be condemned in the highest term by every right thinking citizen of Manipur.
A press release issued by the two associations today continued that the act has the potential to spread a wrong message to the people and the younger generation and explained that the day is observed in honour of the brave hearts who sacrificed their lives for Manipur fighting the British.
Putting a photo of Bharat Mata among those of the patriots was totally uncalled for, it mentioned demanding RSS Manipur Branch to clarify as to why a totally unrelated photo was included in the observation of the significant and historic day.
It also cautioned RSS against conducting such acts in the future.