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IMPHAL, February 28
Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) today threatened initiate a strong campaign after March 3 next if the state government fails to introduce a bill to protect the indigenous people of the state.
The apex body (JCILPS) of various civil organizations spearheading various types of agitation to implement Inner Line Permit System (ILPS) in the state further threatened to boycott the ongoing session of the Manipur Assembly if a bill similar to Inner Liner Permit System is introduced in the house.
Manipur government is understood to have prepared a bill to enact a law similar to Inner Line Permit System (ILPS) for safeguarding the indigenous people of the state.A cabinet meeting convened on February 23 last ahead of commencement of the ongoing Assembly session discussed about the proposed “Manipur Regulation of Visitors and Tenants Bill-2015” while resolving to table in the house of the ongoing Assembly session.
However, the same was yet to be tabled in the house even as three sittings had passed and only two sitting left to conclude the winter session of the Assembly.
Apprehensive of being not introducing the bill, the JCILPS today threatened to boycott the last day of the Assembly session if government fails to introduce the proposed bill by Monday (March 2).
“If a bill to protect the indigenous people and land of Manipur is not passed in the ongoing assembly session by March 2,” JCILPS will boycott the last day sitting of the Assembly, JCILPS convenor Ibotombi Khuman announced at a press conference held at its office this afternoon.
He said that a meeting held at chief minister’s secretariat on February 18 last in which all the cabinet ministers, representatives of political parties having their offices in Imphal and legal experts have agreed to draft a bill called ‘the Manipur Visitor’s and Tenant’s Law 2015’.
In a meeting held with the representatives of the JCILPS after the February 18 meeting, the chief minister himself assured to introduce the bill similar to the ILPS in the ongoing Assembly.
However, even after three sitting had passed, the proposed was yet to be tabled in the house, Ibotombi lamented.
Co-convenor of the JCILPS, Khomdram Ratan who attended the press conference insisted that government must table an appropriate bill to protect the indigenous people and land of Manipur by March 2.
If the government failed to do so, the JCILPS will be compelled to resume its agitations which were suspended after state government assured to enforce an Act which will protect the interest of the indigenous people of the state by affectively checking the entry of migrants into the state.
As part of pressurizing the state government to introduce the bill, the apex body of civil organizations demanding implementation of the ILPS in the state will organize sit-in-protest at various parts of the state tomorrow (Sunday).
Similar protest will also be carried out on Monday, he added, while putting a big question mark on the sincerity of the ministers and legislators of the state towards protection of the indigenous people of the state.
He further threatened that if the government failed to check the influx of illegal migrants into the state, the JCILPS will to act in its own course.
