Demand to implement Inner Line Permit System gets more strident
JCILPS announces gen strike, decries cops' action
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 05 2015 : The Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) has announced a 19-hour State-wide general strike with effect from the midnight of July 6 to 7 pm of July 7 against the State Government's alleged failure to pass a strong Bill to save the indigenous people of Manipur.

JCILPS convener in-charge Khomdram Ratan made the announcement at a press conference held at the office of Manipuri Students' Federation (MSF) today.

Speaking at the press conference, he accused the State Government of betraying the people by passing the Manipur Regulation of Visitors, Tenants and Migrant Workers (MRVTMW) Bill 2015 which according to him has not fulfilled the aspiration of the people.

Ratan further said that the Government has not included neither the recommendations of All Political Parties' Committee nor the five-point demand raised by JCILPS in the MRVTMW Bill.

File pic of student wing of JCILPS burning effigies on July 3

"The Bill serves more to protect the outsiders/migrants who come here for permanent settlement," Ratan said.

The five points which were forwarded to the Government by JCILPS were issuance of passes/permits to outsiders/migrant workers and not to allow their permanent settlement in Manipur, marking 1951 as the base year to differentiate migrants from original settlers, denying land holding rights to outsiders/migrants, setting up of a full-fledged Labour Department to regulate entry of inter-State workers and commencement of detection of migrants/outsiders.

JCILPS along with the people of the State have been demanding the State Government to withdraw the Bill which was passed in the Assembly session held in March this year, Ratan said and added that JCILPS had submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister on June 25 to annul the Bill and pass a new Bill during the ongoing State Assembly session.

Till today, the State Government is maintaining silence and none of the sitting MLAs have taken up the issue in the House, he said.

Saying that it is unfortunate that all the MLAs have forgotten where they belong Ratan said that such silence is really condemnable.

Being a minority community of the country, the State Government should take the initiative and act responsibly to protect the indigenous population of Manipur.

He said that as per the 2011 Census, out of the 27 lakh total population, over 10 lakh people are non-locals/migrants.

Ratan observed that within a few decades, non-locals would outnumber indigenous people.

As such, it is high time for all the people of the State to ask their elected leaders to strive for the people, understanding their sentiment instead of merely working as the puppet of the Central Government.

Ratan said that Article 13 (III) of the Constitution empowers the State Governments to enact any law to regulate entry of migrants without seeking Central Government's consent.

He further stated that excesses meted out to students and rallyists by State police on July 3 near the State Assembly were unwarranted and objectionable.

Condemning the police for their action Ratan said that police and other State forces must understand why people were staging the protest.

Ratan said that health, electricity water supply services, cultural activities and media would be exempted from the purview of the general strike while urging the general public to extend support to the general strike.