TWL against Bill No 10
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 23 2018:
Tangkhul Wungnao Long has made their stand clear that if Meiteis are willing to sell land to outsiders they can do so but the hill people will never sell any land to outsiders.
A press release issued by the president of Tangkhul Wungnao Long, AS Vaomi alleged that Bill No 10 of 2018 is targeted towards destroying the Hill Village Authorities in the State.
Manipur State Hill People (Administration) Regulation, 1947 and Manipur (Village Authorities in the Hill Areas) Act 1957 read with Article 3 71 C of the Indian Constitution have empowered the Village Authority to maintain law and order, settle disputes as Court, perform police duties, ensure peace and security, maintain land records and frame village budgets and to deal with many other village matters, it claimed.
However, the above named Bill intends to obliterate the people, their territory, culture, customs and land thereby empowering the outsiders to purchase, take away non transferable land as guaranteed under Assam Land & Revenue Regulation, 1886 .
It continued that outsiders/foreigners can never become native people despite their long settlement in Manipur and made it clear that even if the land in the valley is allowed to be sold, no hill land shall be allowed to be transferred or sold to any outsiders.
Tangkhul Wungnao Long continued that this alleged tribal annihilation policy and programme in the name of Bill No 10 of 2018, require due and proper consultation with the Scheduled Tribe Commission of India under Article 338 A .
It also added that due to the failure to consult the stakeholders before passing the above said Bill, it ought to be rejected, nullified or declared unconstitutional and appealed to the Governor to refrain from giving assent to the Bill.