• NET Web Desk

The Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein on Friday urged the Centre to declare Tai Khamti-British War, 1839 as the country’s first war of Independence, and to include Northeast India’s freedom struggles in the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) books.

He asserted the same during the Sadin Pratidin Group’s Achiever’s Award (2021) function held at Srimanata Sankardeva Kalashetra in Guwahati, Assam on Friday.

“It is high time we must rewrite our history in our own perspective. We have been reading the history written by the British in their own perspective. What they viewed as traitors and punished were actually our freedom fighters and our war heroes,” – stated Mein.

He also mentioned that during the concerned battle, a total of 80 British soldiers along with Col Adam White were killed by the Tai Khamtis.

Addressing the gathering, Mein stated that tribal folks of Northeast India valiantly fought against the Britishers and their colonial rule, “but it is nowhere reflected in the books of Indian history.”

He also spoke about the four Anglo-Abor wars fought by Adi tribe in 1858, 1859, 1894 and 1911 and the Wancho-British war, known as the ‘Ninu massacre’, at Ninu in Tirap district in 1875.

Mein requested the Centre through Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who was also present at the award ceremony as the Chief Guest, for including these histories of freedom struggles of Northeast India in the NCERT books, so that mainstream India & youth realize the contribution of NE into India’s Independence.

According to Deputy CM’s PR Cell, Mein also observed the role of Chowpha Planglu alias Ronua Gohain, “who ruled Sadiya once in 1826, which has been mentioned in the first Assamese magazine Orunodoi, and was first published from Assam’s Sivasagar in 1846 by the British missionary couple Nathan Brown and Eliza Brown.”

He pointed-out the concerned efforts of Arunachal Pradesh government in identifying & recognizing the unsung heroes of the state, and said that books will be published after thorough research and documentation are done.

The Deputy CM expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Centre “for giving an opportunity to recognize the unsung war heroes or the freedom fighters during the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebration, commemorating the 75 years of the nation’s independence.”

He also lauded the initiative undertaken by Assam Government titled “Assam Ethnic Cultural Harmony and Exchange Mission” for promoting cultural exchange among different communities, and requested Assam to “extend it to Arunachal Pradesh, which will help further strengthen the cordial relations and brotherhood among the people of the two states.”

During the programme, eminent personalities and individuals with immense contributions towards the community & society were conferred.