Creating yet another rallying point : Stop creating the vacuum
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: July 10 2015 -

Creating yet another rallying point.

The proclamation of indefinite curfew in Imphal East and Imphal West districts, the restrictions imposed on the movements of non-locals for a period of five days by the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS), the sudden intensification of the protest against the Government, the ‘deification’ of Sapam Robinhood as ‘Yelhoumi Kanbagi Lamjing Meira’ (torch bearer for the protection of indigenous people) etc are all indications of how the death of a young student in police action has served as yet another rallying point for the demand to restrict the flow of non-locals into Manipur.

The demand to restrict the influx of non-locals into Manipur dates back a couple of years and the birth of JCILPS can be traced to this movement.

Statistics have been trotted out, with many proclaiming that if left unchecked, the possibility of the non-indigenous people out stripping the population of the local people is a distinct possibility.

There are reasons why such an apprehension has been raised. The population strength of the local people is minuscule, especially when compared with the population of mainland India.

And the non-locals who have arrived to make a home here are from mainland India.

Given such a reality, there is every reason to feel that if left unchecked the local people can easily get swamped.

It is this that the people are apprehensive about.

It is also important for everyone to keep in mind that the demand to regulate the inflow of non-local people should not be taken to mean that it is against any particular community.

On the other hand it is a movement to champion the cause of the local people and this should not mean that it is against any particular community.

No efforts should be spared to educate everyone on this point.

Saving the interest and at times even the very existence of the local people should not be taken to mean that it is against anyone in particular.

Now that passion must surely be running high, this point has become all that more important.

The State Government too must have felt the need for some sort of a mechanism to keep the inflow of non-local people under some sort of a check.

The Government may be under the impression that the Manipur Regulation of Visitors, Tenants and Migrant Workers (MRVTMW) Bill is good enough to address the issue, but it stands that this Bill has failed to satisfy the people, particularly the JCILPS.

An important point which the State Government cannot afford to step aside.

The apprehension of the people, particularly the JCILPS is clear, but the worrying part is, not enough study seems to have been conducted on why numerous outsiders or non-local people make a bee line for Manipur.

And this has been happening for decades.

As long as the people allow vacuums to be created there are bound to be outsiders or non-local people rushing in to fill up the vacuums.

If there are no avenues to earn a livelihood here, then automatically the inflow will dry up.

Time for all to come to the realisation that for too long jobs, particularly manual labour, have been handed over to the migrant workers on a platter.

Let these vocations be taken up by the local people and there will be a check on the inflow.