Govt to withdraw controversial Bill
Special Sitting Of Assembly For Piloting Replacement Bill
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, July 12 2015 : The controversial "Manipur Regulation of Visitors, Tenants & Migrant Workers Bill, 2015" will be withdrawn and a new Bill will be introduced in its lieu.

This was disclosed by Chief Minister Okram Ibobi who returned at Imphal from the meeting of the Northeast Chief Ministers.

Soon after his return a meeting of the CLP members and functionaries of the Congress was held during which the decision to withdraw the Bill was taken.

A cabinet meeting will be held on Monday at 10 am to fix the date of the special sitting of the Manipur Assembly which was adjourned sine die on Friday.

Ibobi said that the Bill had been read and approved by the representatives of the all political parties, JCILPS, All Manipur Bar Association, the High Court Bar Association.

The Bill was passed by the House on March 16, 2015 .

CM Ibobi

However, there have been allegations that the Bill was not the one approved by these representatives.

There has been widespread ferment saying that the doctored Bill tends to give protection to the migrants rather than the indigenous people.

The Chief Minister said that since the JCILPS and the public reject the Bill, the decision for the replacement was taken in the meeting.

He also disclosed that he told the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh that there should be a uniform law in the Northeast governing the issue of migrants.

He reportedly told the Home Minister to scrap the ILP in three Northeast States if Manipur to be denied it.

He also said that the Governor had returned the Bill with the comment it had been reserved for consent from the President.

It is now in the Union Home Ministry.

Ibobi also said that he condoled the death of Sapam Robinhood saying that it was a shocking incident.

A reliable report said that the special sitting will be convened on July 15.The Bill to be introduced will be the one which was approved by the all political parties committee, said a source.

JCILPS calls general strike on July 14
Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) has on Sunday announced a dawn to dusk Manipur wide general strike against the failure of the State Government to withdraw the Manipur Regulation of Visitors, Tenants and Migrant Workers Bill 2015 (MRVT & MW Bill).

However, a statement of JCILPS urged the people to carry out the ILP protest in a democratic way and expressed high regards for student Sapam Robinhood who was killed in police crackdown on July 8. JCILPS said it hounours the Joint Action Committee (JAC) for its unyielding stand not to claim the body of Robinhood.

The statement said the Chief Minister has snubbed the committee by declining to withdraw the Manipur Regulation of Visitors, Tenants and Migrant Workers Bill 2015 (MRVT & MW Bill) despite his promise.

Hence, the committee has called a 14-hour Manipur general strike from 5 am to 7 pm on July 14 as a mark of protest against the Chief Minister who has not been able to translate its promise into action, it announced.

Religious and medical related activities, electricity, water supply and media will be exempted from the purview of the strike, it informed.

It also said the committee may impose further 'curfew' on all non-locals until and unless the Government fixes a date for convening Assembly sitting to table a fresh ILP bill.

The committee said the Government crackdown against ILP protesters and declaring holiday for all educational institutions cannot pacify and suppress the movement.