Imphal, October 13: The Coordination Committee (CorCom) has declared that it will observe October 15 as “National Black Day” with a total shutdown across Manipur (Kangleipak) from 6 am to 6 pm. The day is marked annually by the organisation to protest what it calls the “forcible annexation” of Manipur into the Indian Union in 1949.

In a statement issued by its Publicity Committee, CorCom said that medical services, emergency services, media, and religious functions will be exempted from the 12-hour shutdown. The group stated that the observance is intended to remind the people of Manipur’s lost sovereignty and to reaffirm the right to self-determination.

Condemning the 1949 merger of Manipur with India, CorCom asserted that the state was a fully sovereign entity at the time of Indian independence in 1947. Citing historical records such as the Instrument of Accession and the Standstill Agreement, the organisation maintained that Manipur had its own Constitution and was not a part of British India, India, or Pakistan on 15 August 1947.

The statement further claimed that the then-elected government, political parties, and the people from both hill and valley regions opposed the annexation. It alleged that the king of Manipur was placed under house arrest and coerced into signing the Merger Agreement under duress, rendering the document illegitimate. CorCom described the annexation as a violation of both domestic and international law, asserting that it was never recognised by the United Nations, which has consistently supported global decolonisation movements.

Highlighting what it termed as “ongoing resistance,” the committee said that several organisations continue to wage an armed struggle aimed at restoring Manipur’s sovereignty. It reiterated that the right to self-determination remains a fundamental principle, and that the people of Manipur retain both the legal and moral right to reclaim their independence.

CorCom stated that the October 15 shutdown is a symbolic act meant to remind citizens of the “illegal annexation” and to honour those who have participated in the long-standing struggle for Manipur’s self-determination.