Joykisan says ILP guidelines toothless
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 02 2020: Congress MLA Kh Joykisan has cate-gorically remarked that the Inner Line Permit (ILP) guidelines published by the State Government in the State gazette have no clause or provision which can protect the indigenous people of the State.

Speaking to media persons at his Khoyathong residence today, Joykisan compared the ILP guidelines to a spineless law and challenged the Chief Minister to a debate on his observation.

He said that the ILP guidelines are like a that-ched wall put up to check a roaring flood.

The ILP guidelines published by the State Govern- ment are not the ones demanded by the people of Manipur.

These guidelines would not be able to give any kind of protection to the indigenous people, Joykisan said.

Joykisan says ILP guidelines toothless

He went on to assert that the guidelines would facilitate easy entry and residence of people from different States of the country which would pave way for extinction of the indigenous people.

Joykisan pointed out that none of the clauses and provisions of the Manipur Peoples (Protection) Bill are included in the ILP guidelines.

Rejecting the comments that ILP should not have any base year, the Congress legislator insisted that ILP must have a base year.

Further pointing out that the words 'permanent residents' are used in the ILP guidelines, Joykisan asked settlement from which year would be treated as permanent residents of the State.

He advised the State Government to refer to ILP guidelines of neighbouring States and added that the ILP guidelines published by the State Government do not define indigenous people.

It is confusing whether December 31, 2019, the day the ILP guidelines were published in the State gazette, would be taken as base year and whether it would be applied to only those non-local people who have been staying in rented rooms/houses, he continued.

As if the people of Manipur are fools, the State Government has inserted many rules in the ILP guidelines so that non-local peo- ple can enter the State without ILPs, he alleged.

"If the State Government or BJP thinks that what I'm saying today is wrong or my criticisms are baseless, I'm ready for a debate with the Chief Minister on the ILP guidelines before 4 pm tomorrow.

The Government may identify a venue and set time for the debate", Joykisan challenged the Government.

All the nitty-gritties of the ILPS rules or guidelines could have been discussed in the State Assembly during the last three-day session which started from December 18.But the Government did not take up the matter for fear of Opposition parties and the voice of people, he said.

The ILP guidelines allow free entry of paramilitary forces and their families into the State.

It does not mention any words like 'posted in Manipur'.

Without mentioning anything like 'posted in Manipur', the guidelines allow free entry of people working under Central Government and corporate houses as well as their families into Manipur, Joykisan said.

He went on to assert that the ILP guidelines indirectly support entry of non-local people into the State.

It appears that the ILP guidelines are aimed at enabling the Govt earn some tax from non-local people, he added.