Meitei Pangals join pro-ILPS bandwagon
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 09, 2014:
Joining the bandwagon of pro-ILPS movement, people of Meitei Pangal community today conducted a one-day discussion session on ILPS at Manipur Press Club.
Among others, All Manipur Muslim Coordinating Committee former president and advisor Advocate Md Zakir, Islamic Cultural and Research Association general secretary Sheikh Muhamuddin, Anjuman-e-Islahi Manipur secretary Alhaj Mouluvi Muheiruddin, Muslim Advocates Legal Services Organisation general secretary Advocate Md Rabi Khan, United Manipur Muslim Women Development Organisation president Anwari Noorjahan, All Manipur Muslim Student Organisation president Farid Khan, Md Nasir Khan of Manipur Muslim Forum, Rashid Khan of Writers' Union Manipur, Md Jiaur Rahaman of Manipur Students Union, Md Kheiruddon Shah of JCILPS and AMBA president Kh Mani spoke at the discussion session.
Farid Khan said that the issue of influx of non-locals and its varied impacts are being witnessed in the State due to non-implementation of ILPS.
Khaidem Mani while expressing his views at the discussion session said that Meitei Pangals have great roles in checking migrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Those non-locals migrating from the neighbouring countries can be neither taken as Meitei Pangals nor Manipuris, he added.
Saying that ILPS is meant to check possible demographic imbalance which is likely to be faced by Naga, Kuki, Meitei Pangal and Meitei people due to constant immigration of large number of non-locals to Manipur, Khaidem Mani said that Tripuris were outnumbered by non-locals in Tripura due to non-implementation of ILPS.
Non-local population does not see much increase in Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram, Khaidem Mani said and added that even the indigenous culture of Meitei Pangals would be diluted if entry of large number of Muslim migrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar is not checked on time.
Such unchecked influx of migrants have also become one of the reasons for degradation of culture and language, rise in drug smuggling, child and women trafficking etc, he added.
ILPS implementation does not mean imposition of a ban on entry of non-locals but to regulate their visit through a proper system.