Sit-in demands inner line permit system in State
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 20 2011:
People of Keishamthong Kabui Khul today staged a sit-in demonstration at the local community hall to demand implementation of inner permit system in Manipur.
Speaking to newspersons on the sideline of the demonstration, one Mati Kamson stated since merger of Manipur to India on october 15, 1949 indigenous identity of the people of Manipur is being gradually diluted due to influx of outsiders.
Along with scrapping of the inner line permit system on November 15, 1950 population of outsiders had been gradually on the rise to the extent that at present population of non-locals is close to half the total population of Manipur.
Not only has the number of non locals grown sizably but the business community that flocked into Manipur had been dictating terms and fixing prices of essential commodities as they wish, maintained Kamson.
The situation has gone from bad to worse that at present Manipuris are depending upon non-locals for every consumer goods as well as various other items, she said and opined that failure to enforce inner-line permit at the earliest will further aggravate the situation and create more socio-economic problems in the State.
While pointing out that inner-line permit system is being implemented in other north eastern states such as Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, Kamson also suggested that there should be no hesitancy for the Government of Manipur to implement similar legislation taking into account the threat posed to the traditional and indigenous identify of the people of Manipur.
Urging the people to cooperate and extend support to the endeavour of Federation of Regional Indigenous Society (FREINDS) for implementing inner-line permit system in Manipur, she also drew the attention of the Government to act in sync with the aspiration of the people.