DESAM, AIMS oppose
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 13 2015: Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) and Apunba Imagi Maheiroi Sengpanglup (AIMS) have strongly opposed the decision of the Central Government to allow minority refugees from Bangladesh and Pakistan, who have entered India on or before December 31, 2014, to stay in the country without proper documents or after the expiry of relevant documents on humanitarian grounds.

The Central Government had issued two notifications in the Official Gazette under Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920 and Foreigners Act, 1946 regarding the matter on September 7 .

Speaking at a press conference held at their Keishampat head office, DESAM president M Angamba said that the notification goes totally against the interest of the indigenous people of the North East States and their rights.

He said that the decision was taken at a time when people of the State have been demanding Constitutional safeguards for the indigenous people of the State, he said.

As such, the Government's decision would further aggravate the already volatile situation of the State, where people are worried that they would be outnumbered by outsiders and migrants, he said.

Stating that the decision would facilitate influx of outsiders and subsequent population explosion in all the States of the North East region, Angamba questioned whether the decision was taken with a hidden agenda to annihilate the indigenous people of this region.

He also demanded that the notification be revoked at the earliest.

Informing that Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba-Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) in association with 11 other organisations had clamped a 12-hour Assam bandh against the decision of the Central Government on September 12, Angamba said that DESAM and AIMS would support all forms of agitation initiated by AYCP on the issue.

He also observed that every ethnic community of North East India must raise their voice against this decision of the Government of India.

Detection and deportation of foreigners are not properly done in the North East region as Foreigners Act, 1946 has not been effectively implemented in the region, he observed.

Angamba further said that DESAM and AIMS would submit a joint memorandum to Union Ministry of Home Affairs demanding immediate withdrawal of the notification.

AIMS executives were also present at the press conference.

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