ILP demand raised at Jantar-Mantar
Shinde softens stand, says ILP demand genuine, but declines to give any written assurance
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Delhi/Imphal, November 25 2012:
Taking the demand for re-implementation of Inner Line Permit (ILP) system in Manipur at the doorstep of Parliament, a massive sit-in-protest demonstration was staged at Jantar-Mantar today.
Interestingly, though the protest demonstration was attended by leaders of MPP and MSCP, representatives of other political parties which have endorsed the demand for re-introduction of ILP system in Manipur, were conspicuous by their absence.
Organised by Joint Committee on ILP System in Manipur in collaboration with various student organizations, the demonstration which commenced at 10 am continued till 3 o'clock in the afternoon.
Apart from a sizeable number of Manipuri students and employees in Delhi, the protest demonstration was also participated by volunteers of All Manipur Students' Union (AMSU), Delhi Association of Manipur Muslim Students, Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur (DESAM), FREINDS, Kangleipak Students' Association (KSA), Kangleicha Sanaroi Lup, Manipur Students' Association Delhi (MSAD), Sinlung Indigenous People's Human Rights Organisation, Students' Union of Kangleipak (SUK), Students' Welfare Association of Kangleipak (SWAK) .
MLA of Kshetrigao A/C K Thamarjit; Mutum Maniton, Organisation Secretary of MPP and representative of Sikhs settling in Manipur including Amrik Singh Pahwa lend their support to the cause.
Banners and placards with words like "Implement Inner Line Permit System: Save Indigenous People in Manipur", "We honour Indian Constitution Article 19:5C 'Reasonable Restriction'", Government of India Should Honour Manipur State Assembly resolution", "Inner Line in Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Why Not In Manipur".
The demonstrators shouted slogans like "Implement ILP System In Manipur", "We Demand ILP" and "No ILP No Indigenous People" etc were seen being put up at the protest site.
All those who addressed the gathering highlighted the need for intensifying the agitation since Union Home Minister, though claims that ILP demand was genuine, has declined to give any written assurance over the demand for reimplementation of ILP in the state.
They also made it clear that ILP is not restricting entry of non-Manipuris but for living together peacefully.
Back home, endorsing the demand for implementation of Inner Line Permit (ILP) system in Manipur, women vendors of Khwairamband Market under the banner of Khwairamband Keithel Apunba Imasing, abstained themselves from attending to their normal duty of business transanction for the day today and demonstrated in their respective plots today.
Speaking to the mediapersons on the sideline of the protest demonstration, spokesperson of Khwairamband Keithel Apunba Imasing Radhesana Devi pointed out that after abolition of the Permit system on November 18, 1950, influx rate of migrants into the state has increased tremendously and reached an alarming proportion where almost all spaces for the locals are now being occupied by outsiders.
There is compelling need to implement the ILP as 60 MLAs of the state are unanimous in their decision to adopt the system and wondered as to why Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde was reluctant to do so, she said.
The movement is to save the future generation of indigenous people from being lost which makes it essential and reasonable to support the initiative of the joint committee.
Therefore, her organization would support any move and strategy undertaken in regard to such venture, she added.