Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Sunday led a candlelight celebration and expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for renaming Mt Harriet to Mt Manipur in honour of the great freedom fighters of Manipur.
“On behalf of the State Government and the people of Manipur, I convey our heartiest gratitude to Hon’ble PM Shri @narendramodi Ji & Hon’ble Home Minister Shri @AmitShah Ji for honoring our great freedom fighters by renaming Mt. Harriet to Mt. Manipur,” Biren captioned a picture of the candlelight celebration he posted on social media.
The candle lighting celebration was held across the state in appreciation and gratitude to the Central leadership at 6 pm Sunday.
"To show our appreciation for this gesture by our central leadership, I joined the people of Manipur in lighting candles at every corner of the state at 6 pm today,” Biren said in yet another Twitter post.
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Following the renaming of ‘Mount Harriet’ at Kalapani in Andaman and Nicobar Islands as ‘Mount Manipur’, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said it is indeed a proud moment for the people of Manipur that the Central government has been giving special attention to the state.
"After the announcement of renaming of ‘Mount Harriet’ to ‘Mount Manipur’ by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday at Port Blair, the people of Manipur are overwhelmed by his words for giving so much respect and honour to our forefathers and freedom fighters of Manipur,” the chief minister told media persons on Sunday.
Amit Shah also recognised the then political status of Manipur and mentioned that Manipur had its own written Constitution before it merged to the Indian Union, Biren further said.
Maintaining that historical facts can never be distorted, Biren said that some vested groups are attempting to distort the history of Manipur. He appealed to all concerned to stop such ill practice immediately as it could hurt the sentiments of other communities and affect the integrity of the state.
Paying rich tribute to Maharaj Kulachandra and 22 other martyrs of Anglo-Manipur War 1891 who were exiled and jailed in Kalapani by the British, the Union home minister announced the naming of Mount Manipur on Saturday, as a part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, while addressing a public rally at Port Blair in Andaman and Nicobar Islands in their honour.
He said the Central government would assist the Manipur government in establishing a memorial site at Mount Manipur.
