Nepali JAC negates JAC PLAL's allegation
Source: The Sangai Express
Sadar Hills (Senapati), November 25 2016:
Negating the allegation of JAC-PLAL over Kangpokpi AC MLA statement during her visited at Poudel Basti, JAC against torching of Nepali house at Poudel Basti, Irang Part-I slammed the JAC-PLAL for their unjustifiable allegation over the local MLA, reports our correspondent.
The JAC against torching of Nepali house at Poudel Basti stated that the JAC-PLAL refutation over the local MLA's statement which has nothing to do with the forthcoming Assembly election is nonsensical.
Convener of JAC against torching of Nepali House at Poudel Basti, Hari Prasad Nepal said that MLA Nemcha Kipgen visited Poudel Basti to extend her sympathy to the villagers and particularly the victim whose house had been torched by Thonglang Atongba villagers on November 16 evening.
He also pointed out that the MLA visited her home Constituency as it is the fundamental duty.
He continued that if the JAC-PLAL blatantly interpreted the humanitarian visit of the MLA, who promotes peaceful co-existence among all communities, as an instigation of hatred among the Nepalese and Nagas, they should know that how the world will interpret the criminal activity of torching a house of an innocent.
He also asked why the JAC-PLAL opposed the local MLA's instruction to book and punish the culprits involved in the torching of the house as per the law of the land.
He also said that the local MLA is very much aware of the issue and has gone through the documents and historical facts.
He added that the Nepalese of these 11 villages of Irang Part-I have been living systematically within the Irang Part-I Nepali Grazing Reserve Area as early as 1920 and not within the jurisdiction of Thonglang Atongba village.
He also said that Irang Grazing Reserve was granted to Nepali community by the then British political agent while in 1933, it (Irang grazing reserve area) was divided into two parts -Irang Part-I and Irang Part-II for administrative convenience and since then the people of the area have been paying grazing tax to the Government.
He further said that when Manipur became a full-fledged State and process for delimitation of Assembly Constituency on territorial basis was undertaken, Nepali villages of Irang Part-I and Part-II (Nepali Grazing Reserve Area) came under 50 Kangpokpi (General) AC and the Thonglang Atongba village came under 49 Tadubi AC as a separate village.
"Under no circumstances the Nepali villages of Irang P-I pay land taxes to Thonglang Atongba village", said Hari Prasad Nepal while adding that there might have been some occasions wherein the Nepali people pay Rs 50 per house annually to NSCN-IM as house tax but this should not be and cannot be treated a land tax to Thonglang Atongba Village Authority.
He said that the Nepalese inhabitants of 11 villages of Irang Part-I have their own way and practices of village administration and enjoy all the basic amenities of the State Government like schools, roads, provisions of drinking water, MGNREGS etc like other communities and hence the question of keeping these 11 village under Thonglang Atongba Village Authority does not arise.
In this regard, mention may be made for the fact that in 1953, SDO Tamenglong, DC Imphal and Chief Commissioner, Manipur under different cases directed Thonglang Atongba village not to encroach upon Irang part-I Nepali Grazing Reserve Area and all related documents are properly preserved and it can be produced in the right platform when needed, he added.
He further said that culprits involved in torching of the house at Poudel Basti are still absconding while they have already been identified.
It would be a wise step on the part of the State Government and authority concerned to speed up their action.
Security forces should be deployed in Irang area to avoid further unwanted incident, Hari Prasad Nepal said.