Manipur Assembly passes MRVT & MW Bill 2015
Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN

Imphal, March 16 2015: Manipur Legislative Assembly on Monday passed "The Manipur Regulation of Visitors, Tenants and Migrant Workers (MRVT&MW) Bill, 2015" amid protests and uproar by opposition members.

It may be recalled, the bill was introduced in respond to the prolonged struggle by the people of Manipur under the initiative of Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) for the protection of indigenous people of Manipur.

Opposition members demanded sending the Bill to a Select Committee of the House before the house passes it while pointing out loopholes.

After the leader of the house, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh moved the Bill in the house for discussion and passing, opposition members registered their objections while sharing their opinions on the bill.

Opposition member Karam Shyam of Lok Janasakti Party (LJP) reminded the august house that in a parliamentary democracy people is the sovereign and government exist to translate the desire and wishes of the people and added on the contrary, the proposed bill is being opposed by the people.

that the bill was not the type of Inner Line Permit System which the people of the State expected from the government to safeguard the indigenous population alleged Shyam.

Participating in the discussion I Ibohalbi of Trinamool Congress strongly objected the passing of the bill alleging that the bill failed to touch the points which were recommended by the All Political Parties' Committee on Inner Line Permit System which the state government had constituted.

"None of the recommendations made by the government constituted committee was taken into account except one point," he said.

He further alleged the term "migrants" being used in the regulation was "not a state list but is a union list" .

Th Shyamkumar of Trinamool Congress suggested the house to make some amendment before passing the Bill while observing that the bill failed to include provision(s) which will check the inflow of illegal migrants who were the threat to the survival of the indigenous people of the state.

If the Bill is passed in its present form, there will certainly come up a need for another bill which will serve the interest of the indigenous people, he observed.

Opposition member Laishom Ibomcha of NCP observed that the bill had nothing to do with the purposed checking of influx of outsiders into the State.

It intended only to regulate migrant workers and for this purpose, there were enough Acts which already in force in the state.

Asserting that there were as many as eight Acts currently enforcing in the state to deal with the migrants, the opposition member named some of them as Domestic Worker Protection Act, Inter-State Migrant Workers Regulation, Employment of Labour Act and Motor Transport Workers Act.

These Acts were sufficient to deal with migrants and no need for another Act arises when it comes to the provisions of the MRVT&MW Bill-2015.Besides, no question of setting up another directorate arose as there is the state labour department enforcing the said Acts, they said.

Pointing out another loophole of the bill, Ibomcha observed that the bill failed to mention the transit points for checking and when there was no such check points, hotel owners, landlords or owners cannot be held responsibility for checking of the migrants.

After sharing their comments on the bill, the opposition members demanded a thorough study after sending the same to the Select Committee of the house, before it is passed by the House.

After a ruling member asked those opposition members against the Bill to leave the house and allowed the house to pass the bill, five opposition members staged a walk-out.

Ban of buying and selling of land by outsider is against the fundamental rights of a citizen guaranteed by the constitution and such a provision will not be approved by the central government observed O Ibobi in his reply to the discussion.

People from Manipur are settled in other parts of India by buying property Ibobi reminded the members.

Further, touching on the federal provision of the constitution Chief Minister said the authority to decided 1951 as the base line to identified outsiders lies with the central government.

Touching on the specifics provision raised by the members Ibobi said issuing permit to outsiders entering to Manipur cannot be implemented effectively because 300 km between Manipur and Myanmar is forest area, consequently it is beyond the capacity of the government to restrict entry of people from the area and justify the registration provision by saying that it is the only viable option.

Responding to the suggestion to send the bill to Select Committee of the Assembly Ibobi observed some organisation is going to blame the government for resorting to delay tactics and added suggestions of the members can be incorporated during the framing of rule after the passing of the bill.

Rejecting the charge that recommendation of Political Committe have not been incorporated Chief Minister said 50 per cent recommendations are incorporated in the bill and added a report will be asked from the revenue department on the status of owners in Paona and Thagal Bazar.

Later the Bill was passed by a voice vote before the Speaker adjourned the house sine die.

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