Time to get the priority right : Govt must act with wisdom
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: July 14 2015 -
Better late than never. Obvious that the Congress Government here believes in this dictum.
How else will one explain the belated decision to withdraw the Manipur Regulation of Visitors, Tenants and Migrant Workers Bill and decide to come up with a new one that is acceptable to the people.
Remember the decision to withdraw the said Bill came after one young student has already lost his life in police action and Imphal has been paralysed by days of curfew and street protests.
The Assembly has already notified that a special session of the House will be convened on July 15 and while the decision to withdraw the said Bill has already been notified earlier, one can expect some heavy discussion on how the Government proposes to ink a new Bill that is acceptable to all.
It is here that the Government needs to keep certain fundamental points in mind.
In the first place, the new Bill should not aim to placate anyone but to seek ways and means on how to effectively regulate the inflow of outsiders into Manipur. The priority of the Government should be clear.
The ultimate objective behind the demand to implement the Inner Line Permit System or a similar legislation is to regulate the inflow of non-local people into Manipur.
This priority should also be clear to all those who have voiced some concern over the rapidly rising population of the non-local people.
It is also important to keep in mind that any Bill passed towards this end is not something which is against anyone.
Rather the stress should be on protecting the interest and existence of the indigenous people here. A point which should be made clear to all concerned and not only the indigenous population of the State.
Not a comfortable phase of time for the Government, more particularly Chief Minister O Ibobi.
As the leader of the people, the Chief Minister will need to take care that any Bill passed in the near future not only seeks to regulate the influx of outsiders but also that it does not violate the provisions of the Constitution.
Moreover the Government will also need to ensure that any Bill passed towards this end does not go the way of the earlier attempt.
This is where all the members of the Assembly need to shed all differences and come together and share their thoughts.
Certainly not the time to score a political point or two. How the State Government comes up with a new Bill is something which will be known only in the future but the task is cut out.
Not easy it is to please everyone, but this does not mean that there should be no efforts.
The Inner Line Permit System is already in place at Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh.
Certainly it will not hurt to consult these States, particularly Nagaland as it is the immediate neighbour.
Also remember that non-local people have to first pass through Nagaland and Jiribam to enter Manipur.
Manipur may also get in touch with the Government of Meghalaya, for remember this State too has witnessed some uproar in the past over the same issue.
Share thoughts and ideas and discuss things for this is an issue which is common to everyone.
The Government need to explore all avenues as it is now more than clear that it is not a simple task.
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