Conflict dampens Netaji’s birth aniv celebrations in Manipur

Imphal, Jan 23: The Manipur government, unlike the previous years, observed the 128th birth anniversary of Netaji Subash Chandra Bose at the Indian National Army (INA) martyrs memorial complex in Moirang in a subdued fashion on Tuesday, owing to the unceasing ethnic conflict facing the state for the past around nine months.

At the height of World War II, the INA ‘Azad Hind Fauz’ flag was unfurled for the first time on April 14, 1944 at Moirang in Bishnupur district by Colonel Saukat Hayat Malik, the Commander of Bahadur Group, before designating the area as its headquarters.

From this headquarters, top commanders of Japanese army and their allies chalked out war tactics and operated to fight against the Allied forces.

L. Sadhana Devi, curator of the INA War Museum, a unit under Manipur art and culture department, said they observed the anniversary on Tuesday in a low key affair because of the conflict.

“As advised by our seniors, we conducted today’s (Tuesday) programme in a low key affair with locals paying floral tribute to the statue of Netaji, particularly the members of the local INA advisory committee,” Sadhana Devi said.

A leader of the INA advisory committee also said that because of the volatile situation, the anniversary celebrations passed off in a very simple way.