Congress MLA proposes House session to study ILPS rules
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 26 2019: Congress MLA Kh Joykisan has proposed a one-day special House session to discuss draft rules and regulations of the Inner Line Permit System (ILPS) before they are published in the State gazette.

Speaking to media persons at his Khoyathong residence today, Joykisan hailed the State Government's announcement to drafts ILPS rules and regulations as a positive step.

Nonetheless, he appealed to the Government to draft such rules and regulations which would make ILPS very effective in the State.

Highlighting people's suspicion whether ILPS would be effective enough to protect the State from the adverse impacts of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the Congress legislator stated that the Government needs to clarify the suspicions on the floor of the State Assembly.

Congress MLA Kh Joykisan

Chief Minister Biren could not give a concrete reply to these suspicions during the recent Assembly session even though he stated that rules and regulations for ILPS have not been framed.

It appears that the State Government does not have a clear position on whether ILPS should be implemented with retrospective effect from 1951 as demanded by JCILPS or some other year, Joykisan remarked.

Reminding about the statement made by Chief Minister N Biren in the State Assembly that tenants living in rented rooms would be allowed to enlist themselves in the electoral roll if they are verified by house owners, Joykisan asked the State Government whether all non-local people are eligible for enrolment in the electoral roll of a State where ILPS is in force.

If permits are issued indiscriminately to all non-local people who wish to come to the State, ILPS would be of little help to the indigenous people's fear that non-local people would overwhelm them numerically sooner than later, Joykisan said.

Expressing surprise over the Government's plan to hold a rally in support of CAA on December 29, the Congress MLA remarked that the State Government, by planning the pro-CAA rally, is challenging the vast majority of the indigenous people who opposed the CAB vehemently even it was eventually passed by the Central Government.

Every one knows that BJP and their allies support CAA but organising a rally in support of the Act would tantamount to provoking the vast majority of indigenous people, Joykisan warned.

Claiming that the Chief Minister himself has accepted there is a financial crisis in the State, Joykisan said that people would have appreciated the Government if their planned rally is about overcoming the inability to release salaries of employees before Christmas and expenditure sanctions for different departments.

Pointing out the Chief Minister's announcement all insurgency related issues would be resolved soon, the Congress MLA urged the State Government to revoke their decision of further extending enforcement of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958 in the State.