Colonial policy and practice in Manipur

Gangmumei Kamei
Contd from last Saturday
The police member became an important functionary of the administration under the Raja. During the World War I the strength of the Manipur State police was increased. He continued to hold the charge of the commandant of the State military police up to 31st May 1941. And on 1st June 1941 EE Hughes was appointed the first Superintendent of Police Manipur. The post of the Superintendent of Police and Commandant of the Manipur Rifles in the beginning were combined in one person. Before the World War II an attempt was made to reorganize the Manipur state police but there was not much success. Later on after the independence, the Manipur state Government converted the Manipur State police to Manipur Rifles  Revenue Administration and Assam Rifles to suppress the Kuki rebellion (1917-1919).
Raja Churachand Singh again extended the help to the British. The king himself participated in the operation against Dampi Kuki village for which he was given title of ‘Dampi Ngamba’(conqueror of Dampi). The British were satisfied and announced the following relief for Manipur. They reduced the amount of tribute; three hill sub divisions were created; the Imphal-Mao road was to be constructed by the British; and Raja Churachand Singh was given the title of Maharaja instead of Raja and C.B.E awarded to him. The other anti colonial movements before the outbreak of the Kuki Rebellion were a series of agitations for the abolition of pothang (force) labour and other obnoxious practices introduced by the Manipur State Durbar in the valley. After the Kuki Rebellion, there was the Naga Raj Movement led by Jadonang and Gaidinliu in the western hills of Manipur.
Jadonang was executed and Gaidinliu was imprisoned for life by the British. The movement continued for several years in western hills of Manipur, southern Naga Hills and north Cachar hills.
Award of K.C.S.I (1934)
Viceroy Lord Irwin accompanied by Lady Irwin and his daughter Miss Anneewood visited Manipur. He was given a great reception by the Maharaja of Manipur. Lord Irwin was an intelligent British statesman. He described the State of Manipur as the ‘Switzerland of the east’. In 1934 the Maharaja was awarded the title of KCSI (Knight Commander of the Star of India). It was the climax of Maharaja Churachand’s rule.
Maharaja Churachand Singh was a patron of modern education and western sports in Manipur. He encouraged establishment of schools and provided scholarships to the bright Manipur students for education outside the state. They were educated at Gauhati, Sylhet, Dacca, Calcutta and Benaras. He regarded himself as a patron of Vai- shnavism in Manipur. He presided over the Brahma Sabha consisting of many learned Brahmin scholars who were conversant with Hindu scriptures. He also tried to unite the Manipuris into a pan Manipuri forum known as Akhil Manipuri Hindu Maha Sabha to deal with the Manipuri National question. He also built up a fraternal relation with the hill tribes particularly, the Kabuis, the Tangkhuls and Kukis.
Difference between the Maharaja and the Colonial authorities
In his last days, the Maharaja faced troubles with the rising elite leadership. He fell out with the Nikhil Manipuri Maha Sabha. He utilized the services of the conservative and orthodox Brahma Sabha to collect religious fines on Hindu out castes. He had to deal with the women agitation of 1939 which was originally an agitation of market women against the policy of rice exports monopolized by the Marwari community which was converted to a demand for political reforms. The British were against introduction of democratic system in Manipur.
The greatest political upheaval faced by Maharaja Churachand Singh and British colonial authorities was this women agitation. The market women of Manipur initiated the protest movement which lasted 15 months. This protest movement is known in the history of Manipur as the ‘Great Second Women Agitation of Manipur’ popularly known as ‘Nupi Lan’ (Women’s War, 1939-40). It was an anti feudal, anti monopoly and anti colonial movement. The women agitation succeeded in banning the export of rice to outside Manipur but due to the intervention of Nikhil Mani- puri Mahasabha particularly its popular leader Hijam Irabot Singh, it was converted into a movement for democratic reform. The agitation died down after the imprisonment of Irabot Singh in 1940 and outbreak of World War II which stopped all talks about constitutional reforms in Manipur.
The ailing Maharaja Sir Churachand Singh thought of abdicating the throne; he spent his last days in Nabadwip in Bengal. And his son Jubraj Bodhchandra Singh was appointed the succeeding Maharaja of Manipur in 1941. Maharaja Churachand Singh extended help to the British in the early years of the World War II but he could not do much due to his death at the age of 55 in November, 1941. His son Maharaja Bodhchandra Singh extended the needed help to the British and the allied powers during the great battle of Imphal of 1944. Maharaja Bodh Chandra’s assistance to the British was acknowledged by King Emperor George VI by the exemption of the annual tribute of Rs 50,000/- payable to the British Empire. The British Government also extended relief measures for the reconstruction of Manipur State.
(To be contd)