Not a question of Us versus Them : Looking after our home turf
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: September 12, 2014 -
Important that Delhi and Imphal do not get it wrong.
Important too that members of the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System and those vocally supporting it do not come under the impression that it is directed against any community.
The voice to check the large scale influx of outsiders is not something new and the apprehension that the natives of the land could be overswamped by outsiders in their own home land has long been felt and it is not something borne out of xenophobia but is a genuine concern.
As the Association of Premier State College Seniors, Manipur has put it, the issue is more biological than political and this is certainly food for thought.
A look at the geography of the place should drive home this point to a certain extent.
Manipur is a small place and this has become all that more telling in the face of the fact that of the total geographical area of the State, the hills constitute 89.98 percent of the total area of about 8,620.5 square mile.
To make matter all that more acute is the fact that of the total population of about 25 lakh 59.82 percent reside in the valley area with a density of about 727.86 square kilometre in contrast to the hills which have a density of only 54.43 per square kilometre.
Inevitably this means pressing problem of space which can and will have a direct impact on the source of livelihood of the people.
Given this statistics it is therefore not surprising to see that it is in the valley area that the demand to implement the Inner Line Permit System has been most vocal.
Legally this may not be an issue as all Indians are free to settle in any part of the country, but surely there must be a reason why the British thought it appropriate to check the settlement of outsiders in some parts of the country.
This is the Inner Line Permit System, which forbids the entry of mainlanders to certain parts of the country, especially in the North East.
As things stand today, the Inner Line Permit System may not always be effective in checking the entry of outsiders and Nagaland is a prime example of how this can be twisted and rendered toothless.
However the Government needs to demonstrate that there are mechanisms which can act as hindrances to check large scale influx of outsiders and the Inner Line Permit System is one such mechanism that can be enforced.
In as much as it is the duty of the Government to ensure that no one comes under the impression that they are in danger of being swamped by a majority population, it is also equally true that the people of the place realise the need to neutralise the pull factor of the place.
How many have seriously given a thought to the question of why Manipur attracts so many people, who belong to other parts of the country ?
It goes without saying that the pull factor of Manipur is immense.
Leaving any avenue open for outsiders to fill up is sure to attract migrants and this is a point that all should ponder over, even as steps are taken up to check the large influx of others through the enforcement of Inner Line Permit System.
Absolutely no harm in keeping in mind that it is not a question of Us versus Them but more a question of balancing things so that none come under the apprehension that their source of existence is in danger.
Looking after our home turf need not be against anyone.
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