The Manipuris in Kolkata (MIK), an organisation formed by the people from Manipur living in Kolkata, commemorated the 133rd Patriots Day on 13 August this year, remembering their brave Manipuri forefathers who once sacrificed their lives in the defence of the motherland at Anglo Manipuri War, 1891.
North Bengal is the only part of India that shares land borders with three countries—Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and in close proximity to Tibet—and three Indian states as well—Bihar, Sikkim and Assam.
In the heart of Manipur, a state often marred by ethnic strife and turmoil, the recent conflict between the Kuki and Meitei communities has left deep scars on the land and its people.
Responsible officials confirm that the last wave of the Assam flood snatched away the lives of 13 one-horned rhinos, whereas it took six years to lose a similar number of precious animals to poaching inside the highly protected forest reserves like Kaziranga and Manas.
The land-locked region sends 25 members to the lower house of parliament, and the electorates exercised their franchises through electronic voting machines in all three phases, with more than 10 per cent more voter turnout than the national average.
It was raining very heavily on the night of 27 April, and a storm had lashed along to make matters worse. It was also going to be the first light soon, and the sentries at that moment had just let their guards down.
A total of 1,351 nominees will seek electoral mandates in this phase, where the counting of votes will take place on 4 June (after four more phases of polling scheduled for 13, 20, 25 May and 1 June) and the results of the general elections in 2024 are expected the same day.
The problem is not confined to the decades-old matters related to the indigenous communities living in different parts of the region.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is banking heavily on clinching victory in nearly all 25 seats, underscoring its concerted bid to solidify its hold in the region and diminish the long-standing dominance of the Indian National Congress.
Political rhetoric is on the rise these days throughout the country. All want to win the election and form the next government in the country.
