JCILPS flays report, to protest at Delhi
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 21 2012: Categorically rejecting The Hindu newspaper report that linked Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System with banned armed outfits, the Committee today demanded clarification from the said daily failing which The Hindu would be banned in Manipur.

Speaking to newspersons at the Keishampat office of FREINDS, Committee convenor Sapamcha Jadumani described the newspaper's report as totally wrong and ridiculous.

Pointing out that the ILP Committee is a conglomeration of different civil society organisations, sans United Committee Manipur, Jadumani asserted that the Joint Committee envisions mandatory implementation of the Inner Line permit system in Manipur so as to protect the indigenous people and to facilitate non-locals stay in the State in a secured environment after possessing 'permit' .

Disagreeing with the Hindu's report that claimed the Joint Committee to be an organisation formed or sponsored by the CorCom, a conglomerate of seven armed insurgent groups, he also clarified that CorCom asking non-locals to leave Manipur by December 31 has nothing to do with the Joint Committee's movement for implementation of ILP in Manipur.

He also informed that the Committee is planning to stage a sit-in-protest at Delhi's jantar Mantar on November 25 to demand implementation of ILP in Manipur and highlight plight of the indigenous people and threat posed to them due to increasing population of non-locals.

The said protest demonstration would also be attended by representatives of both the State and National political organisations, Lok Sabha MP Dr T Meinya, members and activists of Manipur Students' Association, Delhi and social activists, Jadumani said while adding that efforts are on to meet the Union Ministers and MPs to urge them on the need for reintroducing ILP in Manipur.

Further stating that at Ima Keithel too a similar sit-in-demonstration would be organised, Jadumani said as a number of leaders of political parties and the civilian populace are involved in the movement for implementing ILP in Manipur the report by The Hindu daily amounts to undermining the people's democratic movement.

As the issue had already been endorsed by the Manipur Assembly, The Hindu needs to explain on what ground the report claimed the Committee to be an organisation linked or sponsored by the banned outfits, he asserted.

On the otherhand, Committee co-convenor Mutum Churamani accused national media and people of mainland India of deliberately trying to dilute genuine voices of the people of North East region and suggested that all sensitive issues be thoroughly understood before publishing them.

The Hindu's Imphal correspondent Iboyaima Laithangbam, who was also present at the media briefing claimed that his report has been wrongly interpreted by the editorial staff of the national daily.

Asserting that his report has no relevance with the daily's publication, Iboyaima also assured that a clarification on the matter would be issued within tomorrow.

Joy Chingakham, another convenor of the Joint Committee in his comment highlighted that protection of the indigenous people and demand for implementation of ILP system in Manipur are rights upheld by the indian Constitution.

After the media briefing, a 12-member delegation of the Joint Committee on ILP system led by Sapamcha Jadumani, along with representatives of student bodies including AMSU, DESAM, SUK, SWAK and KSA left for New Delhi to sustain the movement there.

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