EMN
DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 16
Angami Students Union (ASU) is appalled by the statement of Manipur-based Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCLIPS) reportedly issued by one of its members W Ananda Meitei branding the Nagas as ‘illegal migrants’ while reacting to the statement of the Nagaland Chief Minister.
“Whereas, Mr. Ananda committee’s endeavour is a commendable initiative, he must note that while stating in his context of reaction by generalizing what he stated as a ‘peculiar problem’ and subsequently labeling Nagas as illegal migrants is highly questionable,” ASU fumed in a statement issued by its president Zakie Khate and Union information secretary Khriezelhou Vitso.
ASU stated that the intent of disregard and insult is perpetrated against the Nagas in the JCLIPS leader’s statement. “The statement is a breach of trust between the sister States in the face of grave threat to the very existence of the indigenous people of the North East by the Illegal Bangladeshi Immigrants (IBI’s),” ASU also said adding that the alarming proportion of their number continues to swell by each passing day.
“We are shocked and unable to understand the way he made his equation on such a serious matter with illegal migrants from Bangladesh. Mr. Ananda may note that no tribals in the Northeast or even Meiteis require ILP to enter Nagaland or other ILP implemented States in the North East,” ASU pointed out.
“As such, we are compelled to give this counter reaction against him to note that this issue is a collective problem, which requires collective effort,” it added. It may also be noted that this problem in the North East is not an exclusively peculiar problem, far from it; it is a threatening problem to ‘our very existence,” the Angami student body also said.
