JCILPS warns of renewed stir, says ILPS toothless
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 13 2021: Categorically stating that the Inner Line Permit System (ILPS) enforced in Manipur is totally hollow and toothless in its current form and shape, the JCILPS has warned of renew-ed agitation if the Government does not incorporate necessary elements and clauses in the Manipur State ILP Gazette before the election code of conduct comes into force so as to make it effective enough for protection of indigenous people of the land.

Speaking to media persons at their Sega Road office this afternoon, JCILPS convenor BK Moirangcha said that subsequent upon their sustained drive to verify non-local people, a meeting was held on December 6 between JCILPS and DIG Themthing Ngasangva together with SPs, Addl SPs and Deputy Commissioners' staff of both Imphal East and Imphal West.

During the meeting, the police officers said that police would launch a campaign of verifying non-local people and they even sought help from JCILPS to their proposed campaign, BK Moirangcha said.

The police officers even accepted that verification of non-local people is the duty of police as per Section 18 of the Manipur State ILP Gazette, he conveyed.

JCILPS warns of renewed stir, says ILPS toothless

In response, JCILPS assured that they would extend full cooperation to police if the latter effectively initiates due process of awarding punishment to non-local people who have been violating ILP rules and regulation.

However, police maintained that they were not in a position to enforce Section 20 of the Manipur State ILP Gazette or initiate any process of punishing non-local people who have been violating ILP rules, BK Moirangcha said.

As stated at the December 6 meeting, police even issued a notification on initiating a verification drive.

But no verification drive has been launched till date, he decried.

The JCILPS convenor then announced that they would resume their campaign of verifying non-local people as police have failed to do their duty.

The ILPS introduced in the State under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation is totally hollow and toothless.

The regulation defines neither the permanent residents nor the indigenous people nor does it specify any base year for identification of non-local people, he decried.

BK Moirangcha then appealed to the authority con- cerned not to protect non-local people who came to Manipur 'unlawfully'.

He announced that protest demonstrations and awareness camps would be held for seven days at different places starting from tomorrow.

The renewed campaign would be kicked off from Keishampat Leimajam Leikai community hall tomorrow, he added.

Decrying the Chief Minister's alleged total indifference to the issue of influx of non-local people, the JCILPS convenor maintained that the Chief Minis- ter can definitely transform the ILPS into an effective tool for checking influx if he is determined and sincere enough to protect the indigenous people.

Instead of incorporating effective clauses needed for protection of indigenous people, the State Government has been merely issuing passes to non-local people and the Government never bothers to check whether the non-locals are overstaying their ILPS passes or not.

It is a matter of grave concern for all the indigenous people that the Government has not yet taken up a single step to punish non-local people who have been violating the ILP regime even though a provision of punishment is already incorporated in the ILPS Regulation, he continued.

Urging the State Government to incorporate necessary clauses in the Manipur State ILP Gazette before the election code of conduct comes into force so that the ILPS can effectively protect indigenous people of the land, the JCILPS convenor questioned what is the purpose of holding the post of Chief Minister if the Chief Minister cannot take up a single step to protect indigenous people of the land.

He further questioned the implications of the proud claims made by the Chief Minister at election rallies that ILPS has been introduced in the State.