IMPHAL, Nov 15 (NNN): Manipur Government has said that the book titled ‘The Complexity Called MANIPUR Roots, Perceptions & Reality’ should be forfeited as the information regarding ‘Manipur Merger Agreement’ in the book are ‘grossly misleading and scandalous.’
An order of the Manipur Home department issued on November 9, declared that every copy of the said book shall be forfeited.
The book titled ‘The Complexity Called MANIPUR Roots, Perceptions & Reality’ is authored by Late Brig Sushil Kumar Sharma and published by Viva Books Private Limited by Vinod Vasishtha for Viva Books Private Limited, 4737/23, Ansari Road, Daryaganj, New Delhi 110002.
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The order signed by principal secretary (Home) Rajesh Agrawal observed that the history relating to ‘Manipur Merger Agreement’ is a very sensitive and emotional subject for the native people of the State of Manipur.
The order said that the author of the book, in his book, mentioned, under the heading ‘Merger of Manipur with the Indian Union’ that “The total area which the Manipur merger agreement covered was his territory of 700 square miles or 26,500 Paris/hectares. Not even a single inch of hill areas was covered under this agreement”.
The information provided in the book are also unfounded statements and are contrary to a gazette published in the year 1950 by the ministry of States (now Ministry of Home Affairs), Government of India with the title ‘White Paper on Indian States’, the order added.
The gazette specifically reproduces the ‘Manipur Merger Agreement’ at page No. 232 viz. Appendix X I and it further records at page No. 295 that during the time of merger vide Merger Agreement dated 15/10/1949, Manipur had 8,620 sq. miles of area and a total population of 5,12,000.
Based on the gazette, the Government of Manipur is of the opinion that further circulation of the said book contains grossly misleading, factually incorrect information and scandalous statements in connection with the Merger of Manipur.
The order said that it will create misunderstanding and communal tension between the communities residing in the valley areas and hill areas of the State and it may escalate into violence which will affect public tranquility and maintenance of harmony between various communities residing in the State.
It may also impact the Integrity of India, and as such the said book should be forfeited, the State Government opinion added.
The State Home department, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 95 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), declared that every copy of the said book will be forfeited.
