Glorious chapter of Azad Hind Fauj Rupam Baruah

IN 1943 Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, the great patriot revolutionary leader of India established the Azad Hind Government (The provisional Government of Free India) in Singapore and subsequently his liberation army Azad Hind Fauj or Indian National Army (1NA) declared war against the British imperial forces for India’s liberation. This war was fought in 1944 mostly on the Indo-Myanmar border and it was a glorious chapter of our freedom struggle. The area of this last war of India’s independence covered a significant portion of the eastern border of the then undivided Assam and it was actually a piece of that greater Assam which was first liberated by the INA as any Indian territory. So, naturally the war of the INA and Netaji had great impact on the undivided Assam and its people became very much attached to this patriotic war fought on this eastern front of the World War II.

To liberate the Indian soil from the clutches of the British empire INA fought courageously in the hills and plains of Nagaland and Manipur then parts of the greater Assam. Imphal, Palel, Kohima, Bishenpur and many frontier areas witnessed great valour, patriotism and sacrifice of the INA soldiers, which still inspire present generation of the Indian youth. INA liberated Moirang of Manipur on 14 April 1944 and hoisted Indian tricolour there replacing the British Union Jack. Thus it was a part of then greater Assam that was cleared of the British domination for the first time by Netaji’s army. The INA remained in possession of about 1500 square miles of territory in this eastern tip of India for about six months. At Kohima in Nagaland also the soldiers of INA planted the tricolour on top of the mountains around the town.

For several months the national flag flew over the tribal villages like Taungjan, Ukhrul, Tiddim, Sanghak, Molan, Morse, Tamu, Kabow and Hangdam. There were many from erstwhile Assam who joined INA as soldiers. Besides plain people, lots from Manipuri, Naga, Mizo, Kuki and Khasi tribes joined INA to fight against the British. The tribal villages in the frontier areas rendered massive support to the INA. M. Koireng Singh, the first chief minister of post-independent Manipur and H. Nilamani Singh, another important Manipuri leader alongwith their colleagues of Nikhil Manipuri Mahasabha joined INA. It is known that Z. A Phizo, who later on led the underground Naga movement also joined INA along with his followers. From the Assam plains Jalaluddin Ahmed, Chittaranjan Debnath, Umesh Chandra Devchoudhury, Sridam Chandra Mahanta, S. Rahman, S. Laurat Singh, Harendra Nath Mech were notable among those who joined INA and fought for the liberation of their motherland.

While actual fighting was going on in the border areas, a group of INA jawans were paradropped into the heart of Assam with a mission to raise a revolutionary uprising inside Assam, especially in the Brahmuputra Valley. But unfortunately they were apprehended by the British army and executed inside Jorhat jail without going through any legal trial. Inside the country, Forward Bloc and Congress Socialists in Assam started preparations to welcome Netaji and the INA while the Assam branch of the Revolutionary Communist Party of India (RCPI), the only communist group which fought against the British during World War II, established a link with the advancing INA. During INA’s Imphal campaign, many political prisoners belonging to the Assam branch of Indian National Congress inside Jorhat jail were so encouraged by the advent of Netaji’s force that under the leadership of Gopinath Bordoloi they chalked out a draft plan of future Assam as an integral province in independent India.

Prominent Congress leaders like Lakshmi Prasad Goswami and Deba Kanta Baruah also publicly announced their resolve to welcome the advancing INA. Sankar Baruah, a legendary revolutionary belonging to the Socialist group of Assam, went to Dimapur to help the advancing INA soldiers. A section of the radical youths in Assam made preparations to receive the INA men at Lumding and formed a local unit of the Forward Bloc, a political organization Netaji founded in India before his great escape to Europe in search of the military allies against the British. Haipou Jadonang: A freedom fighter THE death anniversary of Haipou Jadonang, the pioneer freedom fighter of Manipur is observed in all Zeiiangrong inhabited areas on 29th August every year in commemoration of the hanging of Zeiiangrong hero Haipou Jadonang on the day in 1931, by the Britishers who captured him on 19th February, 1931, while returning with Gaidinliu (also a freedom fighter) from Bhubon Cave in Cachar after worshiping God. Haipou Jadonang was born in 1905 to Thindai (father) and Tabonliu (mother) at Kambiron (Puilon) village in Tamenglong district of Manipur. He was the youngest of the three sons. Jadonang was one of the first Naga people who claimed himself to be a ‘Messiah King’ of the Nagas to liberate his people from the clutches of British. And as such, like a God-affected man, he carried out some activities successfully against the British. He also became very popular for his prophecies, healing power, religious and social activities amongst the masses. Visualizing the future of Naga Raj, Jadonang started organizing his people to put up opposition against the British.

To do that Jadonang words and activities spread like wildfire and engulfed the whole Zeiiangrong areas and further widened its influence upon neighbouring areas. Confronted by the outburst of violence and murder, the Political Agent of Manipur State, J.C.Higgins finally succeeded in arresting Jadonang on 19th February 1931 at Cachar. On 29th March 1931 Jadonang was brought to Imphal and confined him in the worst room of Imphal Jail, while prosecution against him and some of his followers was going on at the court of the Manipur Political Agent. At last, on Saturday, 29th August 1931 in the agony of sorrow and bravery, Jadonang was hanged till death by the order of the British Government on the banks of Nambul River behind the Imphal Jail leaving behind a legacy of struggle. Thus the pioneer and champion of anti-colonial movement in the Northeast ended his life as a martyr. Thus ended the journey of this messiah who dedicated his life for the progress and upliftment of his people, though his dream of uniting his people is yet to see the light of day but it would be decades when another such being comes into our midst.

The ’13th August’ or rather ‘Patriots’ Day’ is one of the most important days the people of  Manipur observed. So as to remember the three heroes namely, Paona Brajabashi, General Thangal and Bir Tikendrajit who have earned themselves a niche in the history of Manipur for their valuable sacrifice they had made to free the people of Manipur from the bondage of British imperialism. And hence, as a mark of respect and honour, the Government of Manipur have declared the day as a State holiday, since than. It is worth to mention the contribution made by Jadonang for the cause of the people of Manipur in general and the Zeiiangrong community in particularly, the Government of Manipur should also recognize and declare the 29th August as a General holiday to honour and respect the veteran freedom fighter who stood against the British colonialism. Lastly, the peace loving people of Manipur shedding aside the differences in caste, creed and religion can come together as one big family and observe such historic occasion together for an emotional integrity and unity.

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