Newmai News Network
IMPHAL, March 13
The most awaited bill that aims at protecting the interest of indigenous people of the state by regulating the entry of non-Manipuris into Manipur was finally introduced in the house of the Manipur Assembly in its resume session on Friday. State chief minister O Ibobi Singh introduced the bill, the Manipur Regulation of Visitors, Tenants and Migrant Workers Bill-2015, in the house of the state Assembly today. The bill will be discussed for passing in the house on March 16 as per the business calendar of the house.
The session of the Assembly was resumed today after a break of eight days after the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) of the Assembly especially for introducing and passing of the bill. Earlier, the session which was commenced from February 25 was scheduled to conclude on March 4 last.The bill introduced today is in place of the Inner Line Permit System (ILPS) which is in force in Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh, derives from the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulations 1873 related with restriction to the entry of outsiders in a state.
The bill, mention may be made here, was drafted by the state government based on the recommendation made by a high level committee constituted by the government with representatives of political parties having their offices in Imphal as members of the committee.
All Political Parties’ Committee in Inner Line Permit System which the state government constituted following an unabated mass protest from the people under the aegis of the Joint Action Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) submitted its 280 paged report to chief minister O Ibobi Singh on December 10 last.
Since the submission of the reports, JCILPS has been pressing the state government to enforce at Act to be framed by the state government based on the recommendation of the committee and government drafted the bill, Manipur Regulation of Visitors, Tenants and Migrant Workers Bill-2015, which was introduced in the house today.
JCILPS welcomed the introduction of bill in the house. However, no comment regarding the content of the bill, saying that they are yet to receive a copy of the bill.
A leader of the JCILPS, when contacted, said that they were yet to get copy of the bill even though they have the information of introduction of the bill in the house. JCILPS has been urging the state government to include the points which the committee had put forward so that there is no loophole in the bill.
Before, introducing the bill, the house took up an obituary reference to the recent demise of former minister and CPI leader Ph Parijat Singh who expired on March 5.
The house observed a two-minute silent as a mark of respect to the departed soul of the veteran communist leader who was elected to Manipur Legislative Assembly from Lamlai Assembly segment for the first time in 1972 before he wrested the same Assembly seat five times again .
Leader of the house, chief minister O Ibobi Singh remembered the former minister as a man of principal who was very suggestive, particularly at the time crucial time of the government. His suggestions to the government were very effective in solving issues coming to the government from time to time, he added.
The chief minister further stated that the demise of Ph Parijat was a big loss for not only Manipur but also for India in the field of electoral politics.
