Check purchase of land by 'outsiders': MLA appeals to clubs, Shinglups
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 01 2023:
MLA Lourembam Rameshwor has appealed to all local clubs and Shinglups to check purchase of land by outsiders including those who are married to local women.
Speaking to media persons at his Majorkhul, Kanglapat quarters today, L Rameshwor who is also the Chairman of Planning and Development Authority (PDA) said that a large number of outsiders or non-local people have settled in different parts of the State secretly and in the name of religion.
Many of them have even enrolled themselves in the electoral roll thereby snatching the benefits of several Government schemes from the local people, he said.
Pointing out that the growing population of non-local people has been posing a serious threat to the indigenous people, the PDA Chairman appealed to all local clubs and Shinglups to check settlement and enrolment of non-local people in the State's electoral roll.
Saying that the State Government has initiated stringent actions against illegal immigration, he sought support of all local clubs and Shinglups to the Government's initiative.
Because of incessant influx and settlement of non-local people in the small valley area of the State, the living space of the Meiteis who are said to be a majority community of the State has been shrinking rapidly, he said.
Even though there is not a single Kuki village in Keirao AC, names of four Kuki individuals were found inserted in the list drawn up for preparation of PMJAY cards of Chanam Sandrok village.
Notably, Chanam Sandrok village is located within Keirao AC.
"The four Kuki individuals were enlisted in the electoral roll of Keirao AC in collusion with some Meiteis but they were removed from the electoral roll when I was elected as an MLA for the first time in 2017", Rameshwor said.
The then concerned BLO reportedly told the MLA that he (BLO) rejected the application submitted by the four Kuki individuals for enrolment in the voter list.
They were then staying on rent in the house of one Irengbam Thoiba of Chanam Sandrok.
But later they were somehow inserted in the electoral roll, the BLO reportedly told the MLA.
Yesterday too, names of five Kuki individuals were detected at Keirao Wangkhem in the list drawn up for preparation of PMJAY cards.
While many poor families of Keirao Wangkhem and Chanam Sandrok have been left out of the PMJAY beneficiaries' list, many outsiders who have been living temporarily in Keirao AC have been enlisted in the electoral roll and thus they have been enjoying the benefits of several Government schemes including NFSA and the Prime Minister's Housing Scheme.
"All these wrongdoings were committed before I became the representative of Keirao AC", Rameshwor said.
It is not sure whether those Kuki people who have been enlisted in the electoral roll on the ground that they came from Mizoram are really natives of Mizoram or immigrants from Myanmar who stayed for sometime in Mizoram before moving to Manipur, he said.
"I have requested the Chief Minister to instruct concerned officials to investigate if some people were conspiring to enlist outsiders in the voter list of Keirao AC and thus providing benefits of Government schemes to the outsiders", he conveyed.
On verification of some Kuki individuals who reportedly came from Mizoram, one Kuki woman was found in possession of two Aadhaar cards; one made in Mizoram and another made in Manipur, the PDA Chairman said.
Considering the discrepancies in the Aadhaar card, it is highly suspected that they came from Myanmar.
Another Kuki woman was pulled up by police for she did not have any identification documents, he said.
They all came in the name of religion and there are reports of these Kuki people living in Keirao AC being replaced by new teams every now and then.
It is highly suspected that these Kuki people who came from Myanmar stay in Keirao AC for sometime to get voter cards and health cards so that they can move to any part of Manipur and India, the MLA said.
Given how official process had been initiated to enlist many outsiders in the voter list of Keirao AC and obtain health cards, there may be similar cases in other Assembly.