Rich tributes paid to Lamyanba Irabot

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Sep 21: People from all walks of life today paid rich tributes to popular leader Lamyanba Hijam Irabot at a solemn function held at Keibi Manaching.
The commemorative function organised by the Lamyanba Irabot Ningshing Thouram Observation Committee (LINTOC) under the aegis of the Protection and Preservation Committee Manipur (PPCM) was held in strict adherence to the COVID-19 protocol.
Apart from paying floral tributes to the statue of Lamyanba Irabot, people coming from different parts of the State planted saplings at Keibi Manaching.
A statement issued by the LINTOC pointed out that the month of September holds immense significance in the history of Manipur.
After the lapse of the British colonial rule, Manipur existed as an independent Nation from 1947 to 1949 before king Bodhachandra, then nominal head of the State, was invited to Shillong and forced to sign the Manipur Merger Agreement under duress on September 21, 1949, it said.
Again, it was on September 21 that a public convention was held at the MDU against the initiative to merge Manipur, Tripura, Cachar and Lushai Hills to form Purbanchal Pradesh.
As a result of an incident that took place at Pungdongbam on September 21,1948, Lamyanba Irabot went underground on the same day, LINTOC recalled. The day marked the beginning of an armed revolutionary movement for liberation of Manipur.
Incidentally, Lamyanba Irabot who was born on September 30, 1896 died on September 26, 1951 at Tangbo, Burma.
Although Irabot had many personalities, he was known more for his unwavering fight against British colonialism, feudalism and oppression of the masses, it said.
It then called upon all the people to re-examine the ideas and perspectives of Lamyanba Irabot and determine what one should do to  make Manipur a self-reliant and progressive State.