But the Satyagrahis persisted and even went to the length of sinfully shouting at the Palace gate, - 'Pull down the potbellied Maharaja from the throne and trample him'. From such misbehavior and defying attitude taking the law into their own hands, it transpired that their inward intention was not for the sake of worshipping Gobindaji but for show of triumph over the capital of Manipur, the seat of Government which was situated in the same compound purporting thereby to indicate the defeat of Pakhangba Flag (Manipur's National Flag) by the Indian Congress flag, i.e. replacement of Manipur's national Government by the Indian Government. Though they carried on the Satyagraha day and night for 3 or 4 days with shouting of Bande mataram, they went away baffled.

As the British left Manipur without restoring the Kabow valley to Manipur, the Maharaja just after independence planned to go to England to arrange for its restoration to Manipur by virtue of the last clause of the treaty dated the 9th January, 1834. This treaty left for Manipur a rich material heritage, namely, the Kabow Valley of 7000 (seven thousand) sq. miles for which Manipur got from Burma Rs 6270/- per annum as rent. The last clause says that should any circumstance arise by which the Kabow valley be reverted to Manipur the annual payment of the sum of Rs 6270/- would be stopped. To plead for the restoration of this land the Maharaja left for England and halted at Shillong on way. In the meantime, in Manipur a big agitation engineered by the Socialists and Congress was launched creating chaos in the State necessitating the Maharaja's return and presence. The disorder created by the agitation did not allow the Maharaja to go to England and thus it made the Kabow Valley question to be kept away.

The Congress party moved for integration of Manipur with India and the Socialist party for merger to Assam, secretly having links with the Indian Congress and with the political parties of Assam. Soon signs of the move appeared on the surface. It started igniting the Maharaja's suspicion. They even said that the Maharaja had become a Communist and as such he be removed from the throne and Manipur administration be taken over by the Government of India. They even called the Private Secretary in the Maharaja a dog for being anti-Congress and the Private Secretary also viewed them as anti-national or anti-Manipuri elements.

When Rajgopalachari, Governor- General of India, visited Shillong, the Maharaja met him and questioned him as to whether Manipur would be integrated with India. The Governor General replied that there was no question of integration of Manipur with the Indian union.

Sardar Patel, Deputy Prime Minister of India, also on his visit to Shillong at some other time gave the same reply.

Earlier, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru informed the Maharaja that the distinct entity of Manipur would be preserved.

Taking all these into consideration the Maharaja was of the firm belief that Manipur State would not be integrated into the Indian union.

Normally and as accepted practice and convention of administration, discussions on administrative problems of Manipur were held either at Imphal or at Shillong as the case may be, when necessary. According to this, the Maharaja was requested by the Governor to come to Shillong in September, 1949 for some discussion on administrative affairs as he was unable to come to Imphal. The Maharaja left for Shillong on 15th September, 1949. In the meeting at the Governor's house at Shillong, it was a surprise that the Governor and his Adviser brought out a pattern of Merger Agreement of States to the Union of India which all the other Indian Princes had already signed. He also was asked to sign it. It shocked the Maharaja. After going through the preamble of the agreement, the Maharaja refused to read the rest.

The Adviser to the Governor NK Rustomji, ICS at that moment requested the Governor (perhaps pre-planned) to allow him to have a chatting with the Maharaja's Private Secretary in a separate room. Accordingly, the advisor and the Maharaja's private secretary moved to a separate room. Scarcely had they taken their seats when Rustomji threatened the private secretary saying:

'Mr. Private Secretary, you are to make the Maharaja agree to sign the Merger agreement'.

Private Secretary - 'I have no power to influence the Maharaja to do that and that too for such a grave undertaking. I am to carry out his wishes only'.

Rustomji - 'Then both you and the Maharaja will be interned'. (Force and aggression).

The Private Secretary suddenly lost temper and stood up and shouted - 'If love of one's country is a crime. You are also a criminal for love of India. You are also to be interned. The Maharaja and I have every right to defend the freedom and integrity of Manipur. I won't hear you any further.'

Then he left the room unceremoniously causing a bang of the door and leaving the Adviser behind.

Perturbed by the scene the Governor made a query about the cause of the Private Secretary’s anger.

Private Secretary -

'Your Excellency's adviser does not know how to behave. He even threatens me to intern the Maharaja and myself if the Maharaja does not agree to sign it'.

At this the Maharaja burst out his anger. Though the Governor warned the Adviser, who floored the enraged Private Secretary, not to repeat such misbehavior, the Maharaja could not be pacified. Instantly he rose up and left the room followed by the Private Secretary and they proceeded to the Maharaja's Shillong residence, disagreeing to Governor's request to stay on for a few moments to continue the discussion about merger question.

At his Shillong residence the agonizing problem worked vehemently in Maharaja's mind. At midnight as already planned the Maharaja and the Private Secretary had a confidential and secret talk between themselves.

Maharaja--

'I'll never sign the agreement. If they threaten me sign it I will shoot the Governor and you to shoot the Advisor and thereafter let us shoot each other and die ourselves. You will have no sin of killing me nor shall I for killing you. That will be the best course and solution.'

That was the master and the servant's solemn oath. The next day the Governor and the Adviser came and requested the Maharaja to sign the agreement. The Maharaja said that since he had become a constitutional and nominal head with all the powers transferred and vested in the Council his signature on the agreement would have no value. If he was informed of the merger matter for discussion in Shillong while he was in Imphal he would have come well prepared with the Council and peoples' verdict and mandate. But as he was not given prior information he could not sign the agreement. Then the Governor said that the Maharaja alone as ruler of the land could sign the agreement. The Maharaja then said since he had given charge to his Maharani during the trip he had to go back to Imphal and consult the Council and the people about the whole thing.

He continued saying that at any rate Manipur could not be merged to India considering the stage of development of the State economically and educationally which was going to be stepped up in the post-war reconstruction plan including the setting up of cotton-mill, paper-mill etc. Manipur was launching then when other States had no such problem as they were not affected by the Japanese war the theatre of which took place in Manipur causing untold suffering and hardship to the people. Again, the people of Manipur would be exploited by the advanced people of India and power on export restriction on rice etc. would be taken away by India if merged to India. The Maharaja said that the passport system maintained by the State of Manipur on entry of foreigners should be kept in tact.

The Governor said that the Government of India would take up as their responsibility and pull up Manipur's economy and education to a higher level with India's money. Maharaja's anxiety about the welfare of Manipur people would be removed by integrating Manipur with Indian union. The Governor continued saying that the Government of India would make the State of Manipur an object of special concern and take upon itself the direct responsibility for the happiness and welfare of the people of the State. He further assured that it must be the most earnest endeavor of the Government of India to put forth their best efforts so that the State of Manipur might make progress rapidly in all directions and the good of the people in all departments too ensured and that Government of India's ready help would always be at the disposal of the people of Manipur for their own glory and greatness.

Maharaja rejected all their offer and plea and refused to sign it. The Maharaja said also that while he had his own sepoys it was not necessary for the Governor to send sepoys and stand duty in and about Maharaja's Shillong residence. The Governor replied that they were guarding the Maharaja and also acting as CID in Maharaja's interest. Maharaja said that in any case they were not wanted by him and should be withdrawn. The Governor and the Adviser left Maharaja's residence.

Maharaja was prepared to leave Shillong for Imphal. Hearing this, the Advisor came with Governor's message requesting him to stay on for some time. There was then an exchange of letters showing that he was not prepared to sign the agreement detailing reasons of his inability to do so. The Maharaja also wrote saying that his letters of objection should be published in the press.

The next day in the afternoon when the Private Secretary was having a nap, the Governor and the Advisor came and talked to the Maharaja saying that as regards Manipur people's consent the Governor of India in Delhi had received it and Maharaja need not worry about that. The Maharaja was also told that it was an experimental measure for a period of ten years only kept as an unexpressed policy. If the arrangement was not good it would be withdrawn. Maharaja thought that while in Shillong where he received no news from outside, most of the people of Manipur might have telegraphed their consent to Delhi.

This is not unthinkable for while in Imphal the Congress political leaders issued in the papers stating that Maharaja had become a Communist and that the Manipur Government should be taken over by the Indian Union and Maharaja would not get even pension and that he should better go to Nabadwip and practice penance there and nobody opposed it in Maharaja's favor. Against the merger of Manipur, only Praja Shanti Party earlier wrote in papers. Even this party's consent also might have been received in Delhi. Maharaja felt in the context of the situation prevailing then as described by the Governor and Adviser, that he was left almost single-handed. He, therefore at the persuasion of the Governor expressed his willingness to consider signing the agreement but he took some time from the Governor. The Governor and the Adviser then gladly left the Maharaja.

After their departure, the Private Secretary was awakened from sleep and was informed of all that happened during his sleep. Afterwards Maharaja told him that he had shown his inclination to the Governor to sign the agreement in the circumstances explained by the Governor. Maharaja further pointed out to the Private Secretary that since the agreement did not code the territory of Manipur but only the governance of the State which could be subsequently withdrawn if and when it did not serve the interest of the people as envisaged in the agreement and since the Governor had indicated that it was on an experimental basis for only ten years it might not be harmful. Anyway the Maharaja murmured "Oh, I am not loved by the people whom I so dearly love. While I am laboring hard and anxiously feeling for their interests they have without the least consideration for me given pledge to Government of India to integrate Manipur with India. But one thing is certain. The politicians and the people led by them in this national issue will at some future stage come to grief and will apologies to me".

The Maharaja made certain amendments to the provisions of the agreement pertaining to his retaining his usual authority in religious observances, customs, usages and institutions in charge of the same in the State and some regarding providing of employment to Manipuris (copy of which is enclosed).

As the amendments made by the Maharaja were accepted by the Government, the Maharaja signed the agreement on the 21st September, 1949 to take effect from 15th October, 1949.

The promises and assurances given by the Governor to the Maharaja for the welfare and advancement of the people of Manipur State were re-iterated by the Governor in his message to the people given on the occasion of the taking over of the administration by the Government of India on 15th October, 1949 at the Assam Rifles Parade Ground.

Merger Agreement excerpts from Article-VIII

(1) X X X X X

(2) X X X X X

(3) The Government of India also undertakes to make suitable provisions for the employment of Manipuris in the various branches of the Public services and in every way encourage Manipuris to join them. They also undertake to preserve various laws, customs and conventions prevailing in the State pertaining to the social, economic and religious life of the people.

Aftermath of Merger:

According to this provision Manipuri language could be made one of the languages in the interview before the UPSC like English and Hindi when Manipuri students are involved in the interview. Considering the backwardness of Manipur, and also to safeguard the social and economic life of the people, the local law of passport system regulating the entry of foreigners should have been retained. But the Government of India has failed to observe this though they have undertaken to preserve such local laws.

But subsequent events and performances of the Government of India in regard to the welfare of the people revealed that their promises mostly became hollow. The Maharaja found himself betrayed and soon died broken hearted at the premature age of 41 years.

The passport system controlled and regulated the entry of foreigners into Manipur. Under the system, foreigners were granted a pass for their entry, visit and stay for limited period only. They were not allowed to settle down and possess patta land in Manipur. This was done to preserve and safeguard the national character and distinct entity and integrity of Manipur without adulteration. The British regime too upheld this system for the welfare of Manipur.

One foreigner Dr Lohia, a socialist leader was invited by the Socialist Party of Manipur without pass and permit. As warranted by the passport system, when he came he was arrested and put in Manipur jail. The socialist leader of Manipur made a strong move to abolish this passport system so that foreigners can enter freely into Manipur. They sowed the seed and subsequently to Maharaja's rude shock the system was abolished affecting thereby the economic, social and political life of the Manipur people.

Courtesy: The Sangai Express