Ban on entry of non-locals conies into force, 21 pulled up
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 23 2016: Altogether 21 non-local people who arrived here from Assam today were pulled by volunteers of JCILPS Women Wing.

They came to the State from Guwahati in an inter-state bus belonging to Royal Rajdhani and they were reportedly hired by MSPDCL to work at Kakching.

Taking due note of the JCILPS' ban on entry of nonlocal people into the State which came into effect from today, the bus driver dropped them at Kangpokpi.

The non-local labourers boarded a local bus at Kangpokpi for their onward journey to Imphal.

Incidentally, Th Amubi of the Advanced Women Society, Awang Sekmai was waiting for a bus heading towards Imphal when the bus carrying the non-local labourers reached Sekmai at around 12.30 pm.

As soon as Amubi boarded the bus, she saw that most of the passengers were non-local people.

On being enquired, some of the non-local passengers told Amubi that they came from Assam and they were hired by MSPDCL to work at Kakching.

Even as the bus was moving towards Imphal, Amubi informed JCILPS leaders about the arrival of the nonlocal people.

As soon as the bus was parked at Khoyathong (Kangpokpi bus parking), Amubi called down all the non-local passengers and asked them to stay there together.

The non-local passengers obeyed Amubi thinking that she was an official of MSPDCL.

Notably, Amubi is a member of the Advanced Women Society, Awang Sekmai which is actively engaged in monitoring transportation of non-local people into the State along Imphal-Dimapur highway.

Shortly after, volunteers of JCILPS Women Wing arrived there and all the non-local labourers were handed over to Imphal police station.

Meanwhile, JCILPS convenor BK Moirangcha has declared that Royal Rajdhani has been banned from doing transport service for one month for bringing in the non-local labourers in one of their buses despite a clear understanding between JCILPS and transport agencies not to bring in nonlocal people.

It was also agreed that if any transport agency brings in non-local people, the transport agency should take them back to the place from where they were picked up.

A total of 59 non-local people were also rounded up and handed over to police last night.

The non-local people were coming to Imphal along Jiribam-Imphal highway when the vehicles in which they were travelling were intercepted by Meira Paibis and local people at Sagolband Salam Leikai at around 9 pm.

After the last State Assembly session failed to introduce a fresh Bill for protection of indigenous people from the onslaught of incessant influx, the JCILPS was urging the Government to convene a special session of the State Assembly and pass a new Bill by September 21 .

The renewed mass movement spearheaded by JCILPS has been demanding passage of a new Bill which would be acceptable to all indigenous communities of Manipur after the PMP Bill 2015 was rejected by the Government of India.

After the State Government failed to convene any special session of the Assembly by September 21, the JCILPS announced a ban on entry of non-local people and visits by leaders of National political parties to the State with effect from today.

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