Imphal: The outlawed Socialist Revolutionary Party (SOREPA) in Kangleipak (Manipur) has called for a 12-hour general strike and announced a boycott of Independence Day celebrations on August 15, 2026.
In a statement issued by its Secretary of Publicity and Organisation, M.C. Yaiphabi, the outfit said the shutdown would remain in force from 5 am to 5 pm on August 15.
SOREPA described August 15 as a “day of sorrow” for the people of Kangleipak and urged residents to observe the boycott. The outfit claimed that Manipur has no historical, cultural, linguistic or ethnic connection with India and alleged that the region has faced political subjugation and military repression since its merger with the Indian Union in 1949.
The outfit revisited its version of Manipur’s political history, claiming that the region remained under British rule from 1891 to 1947 before entering what it described as a period of “occupation”. It alleged that then-Manipur King Bodhchandra Singh was coerced into signing the Manipur Merger Agreement in Shillong in September 1949, leading to the formal merger of Manipur with the Indian Union on October 15 that year.
SOREPA also referred to a public meeting at Mapal Kangjeibung on April 19, 1953, claiming that resolutions opposing Manipur’s integration with India were adopted at the gathering. According to the outfit, such political resistance later contributed to the emergence of armed movements in the state during the 1960s.
The group also referred to the ethnic violence that erupted in Manipur on May 3, 2023. SOREPA alleged that the conflict was the result of a deliberate strategy involving New Delhi and external networks. It also claimed that large-scale poppy cultivation in the hill areas over the past decade had been linked to the financing of what it described as narco-terror networks and efforts to destabilise indigenous communities through substance abuse.
These allegations were made by SOREPA in its statement and could not be independently verified.
At the same time, the outfit appealed for reconciliation among Manipur’s different communities, saying they had coexisted for generations. It urged people to reject what it described as “external designs” aimed at creating divisions among indigenous communities.
The shutdown call has prompted security agencies to step up vigilance across Manipur ahead of Independence Day. Security personnel have increased patrols and strengthened arrangements around venues where official flag-hoisting ceremonies are scheduled.
Authorities have appealed to the public to disregard the boycott call and said adequate security arrangements have been made to ensure peaceful Independence Day celebrations.
The proposed 12-hour shutdown is likely to affect transport services, markets and other commercial activities across Imphal and surrounding areas on August 15.