IMPHAL: Normal life was significantly disrupted in Manipur on Sunday due to a day-long general strike organized by several militant groups in protest of the state's merger with India on October 15, 1949.
The strike resulted in the closure of commercial establishments and markets, while public transport services were suspended, with only a limited number of private vehicles on the roads. Inter-district public transport services also remained non-operational, according to officials.
The Coordinating Committee (CorCom), a coalition comprising at least five banned outfits, including the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), enforced the general strike from 6 am to 6 pm. A statement issued by CorCOM urged people to abstain from all forms of celebrations and movements on Sunday.
Notably, media, medical, and emergency services were exempted from the strike's purview to ensure that essential services continued uninterrupted.
The backdrop for this strike lies in the historical event where Manipur's Maharaj Budhachandra signed the merger agreement with India on September 21, 1949, which officially took effect on October 15 of the same year. This day has since been observed as a "Black Day" by militant groups and has been a central driving force behind the insurgency movement in the northeastern state.
(With agency inputs)