ILP Bill should not be a bone of contention: Mingthing
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 24 2016: Former Minister RV Mingthing has categorically stated that any legislation enacted for protection of indigenous people of Manipur from the onslaught of incessant influx should not be a bone of contention or a point of conflict between hill people and plain people.

He was speaking as the chief guest of the inaugural session of a five-day public dialogue on 'Protection of Indigenous Peoples of Manipur' .

The public dialogue which was opened today at Manipur University Centenary Hall was organised by the National Research Centre (NRC) Manipur in collaboration with the office of the Dean of Students' Welfare, MU.

Volunteer of Awang Sekmai pulled up and handed over 87 non-local labourers to police on July 23 2016 :: Pix - Shankar Kh

RV Mingthing under- scored the importance of pursuing broader and more comprehensive political goals.

He stated that all the peo- ple of the State need to foster communal harmony and strengthen the age old frater- nal relationship shared between the hill people and plain people.

If any Bill related to the ILPS movement does not impinge upon the rights and interests of any section of people, such a Bill should be passed.

Without such an effective legislation, it would be diffi- cult for the indigenous peo- ples to save themselves from being overwhelmed by out- siders.

And if such a Bill divide the hill people and plain peo- ple, the Bill need to be examined collectively and plug all the loopholes, in case if there are any.

It would be prudent on the part of the Government to draft a Bill which would be agreeable to both the hill peo- ple and plain people, Mingthing said.

He opined that people set- tled in Manipur valley need to do a soul searching regarding their socio-cultural outlook.

All the indigenous peoples must never forget that their share a common ancestry as testified by the collective his- tory of the land.

Prof M Dhaneshwar of MU, Dept of Chemistry re- marked that the population of Manipur constitute a microscopic minority as compared to the total population of India.

Majority of the outsiders who are coming to the State are not educated people but illiterate or semi-illiterate people.

They come to Manipur in search of menial jobs.

With no mechanism to check the inflow of outsiders, the demographic profile of Manipur has been undergoing rapid changes.

If the present trend of influx continues any longer, the indigenous peoples of Manipur would be rendered minor- ity groups in their own homeland in the next 20-30 years, Prof Dhaneshwar said.

NRC Chairman Haobam Sanajaoba said that intellectuals, scholars and representatives of different ethnic groups of the State would take part in the five-day public dialogue.

During the gathering, all efforts would be made to clear all misgivings and misunderstandings about the popular move- ment for enactment of a Constitutional safeguard for protection of indigenous peoples.

Sanajaoba exuded confidence that the dialogue can arrive at a consensus regarding the ILPS issue among all the indig- enous communities.

RV Mingthing, Prof M Dhaneshwar, MU Dean of Stu- dents' Welfare Dr N Mohilal and Haobam Sanajaoba attended the inaugural session as presidium members.