FIRs against author, two academicians in Manipur for allegedly distorting state’s history

The Manipur Police have registered two separate cases against the authors of two books from the Kuki-Zo community for allegedly distorting the state’s history.

The first book titled The Anglo-Kuki War 1917-1919 was written by retired Colonel Vijay Chenji, while the second book The Anglo- Kuki War, 1917-1919: A Frontier Uprising Against Imperialism During the First World War was jointly edited by Jangkhomang Guite and Thongkholal Haokip.

A complaint against them was filed by the Federation of Haomee, a civil society organisation based in Imphal.

The police have booked Chenji, Guite and Haokip under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code pertaining to waging war against the Indian government, promoting enmity between different groups and using as true a declaration known to be false.

The first information report against Chenji was filed on August 9, while the case against Guite and Haokip was registered on August 7.

Guite is an assistant professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University’s Centre for Historical Studies, while Haokip is an assistant professor at the university’s Centre for the Study of Law and Governance.

The Federation of Haomee alleged that the books incorrectly depicted a Kuki rebellion from 1917 to 1919 as an Anglo-Kuki war. It claimed that no Anglo-Kuki war had taken place in Manipur’s history.

The complainants said that a Kuki rebellion had...

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