Manipur: CorCom Calls 12-Hour Shutdown on 15th October Over 1949 Merger

Guwahati: The Coordination Committee (CorCom), an umbrella organisation of proscribed underground groups in Manipur, has called a 12-hour statewide shutdown on 15TH October  to mark what it describes as “National Black Day”, protesting Manipur’s merger with India in 1949.

The shutdown will be observed from 6 am to 6 pm, according to a statement issued by CorCom’s Publicity Committee and signed by its media coordinator, M. Shak-Hen. Medical and emergency services, media activities, funeral rites and religious functions have been exempted.

Seven banned armed groups in Manipur have called for a 12-hour shutdown on 15th October to observe “National Black Day”, protesting the State’s merger with the Indian Union in 1949. The groups, largely comprising members of the Meitei community in the Imphal Valley, allege that the merger violated international and domestic legal provisions. The shutdown is intended to mark their opposition to the merger

CorCom observes 15TH October  annually to oppose what it terms the annexation of Manipur, also known as Kangleipak. The organisation claims that the merger violated international law and disregarded Manipur’s constitutional status at the time.

It alleged that Maharaja Bodhchandra was forced to sign the Manipur Merger Agreement on 21ST September , 1949, in Shillong while under house arrest. The group has questioned the agreement’s validity, citing the circumstances surrounding its signing.

CorCom also referred to the Manipur State Constitution Act, 1947, the elected National Assembly established in 1948, and the Instrument of Accession signed in August 1947 to support its position that Manipur had retained its sovereignty.

The organisation further linked the demolition of structures at Shillong’s historic Redlands building in October 2025 to an alleged attempt to remove evidence relating to the merger.

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