Non-local beggars begin to appear at market places
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 10 2016: Amid the strong demand to check the influx of non-Manipuris into the State, beggars from outside the State have start arriving in Manipur.

Women vendors in Khwairamband Keithel who spend most of their days in and around the market area have reported sighting non-Manipuri beggars at Khwairamband Keithel area.

Thangjam Thoinu, a woman vendor at Khwairamband Keithel, said, "Over the past few years, we have noticed beggars from the State begging in and around Khwairamband Keithel.

Among these beggars, there is one woman with her two small kids.

She can be seen begging on the roads and pavements" .

She continued, "It is quite an upsetting scene.

Moreover, the woman would breast-feed her infant openly which makes passers-by particularly women feel awkward.

"There is another non-Manipuri beggar.

This non-Manipuri man also has two children.

Holding a walking stick and a steel can, he along with his children can be seen begging along a footpath," she added.

"Though we feel bad for them, what concerns the people more is whether Manipur is going to become a safe haven for beggars particularly from outside the State," said Thangjam Thoinu.

She further said, "Women vendors who are selling vegetables by the roads are subjected to ill-treatment by police personnel for allegedly disrupting normal traffic.

If such treatment can be meted out to the women vendors, why can't they check the illegal migrants and beggars who are draining our resources?" If such things are not checked now, the indigenous people of Manipur will suffer severely, Thangjam Thoinu said.

She also stated that people of both valley and hill districts need to come together to fight for the cause of the people and the younger generation.

"Problem of influx of non-Manipuris is occurring not only in the State capital.

The same is starting to occur even in hill areas.

'What we need now is a collective effort to resolve this issue so that we can build a firm foundation for our children to grow without losing their identity," Thangjam Thoinu said.

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