ILPS: Pulse Of The Common People
Sincerity, delaying tactics suspected
Source: Hueiyen News Service / James Khangenbam

Imphal, July 15 2015 : The State government in its special Assembly sitting had withdrawn the controversial MRVT&MW Bill on Wednesday.

The outcome is a result of sustained agitation from all sections of people spread mostly in valley districts.

While moving for the withdrawal of the Bill the Chief Minister had announced that a fresh Bill on ILPS will be introduced in the Assembly after consultation with experts and Joint Committee on ILPS in three months' time.

At the backdrop of the recent development, a team of Hueiyen Lanpao reporters interacted with a cross section of people to garner their opinion on Wednesday on these developments.

Ningthoujam Manisana a retired Army man from Khuyathong Polem Leikai: We do not have faith in the Government, if the Government firmed up to solve the impasse, why should they take three more months? Since the new Bill will be awaited the delay will trigger further social unrest in this trouble torn State.

The Government should have shorten the period to just a week or 15 days at the maximum and arrange sittings with JCILPS, students in framing a new ILPS.

He also said that if issue is put in cold-storage, even the senior citizens will start taking part in the agitations and other movements.

K Sarojkumar, a Journalist: It is a welcome decision resulting from resolute agitation.

The three month duration is a long time.

The proposed new bill would be ideal if the five clauses demanded by JCILPS are incorporated in it to check the influx of the outsiders.

The new bill should be a concrete and final one.

The demographic pattern in the north east region is changing and the centre should also address the issue.

Saroj also said that the draft bill should be prepared in consultation with the academics, public leaders, eminent lawyers, social activists and make it transparent before it is introduced in the Assembly to do away with any misunderstanding that may create social unrest followed by agitations.

Some students of DM college and GP women college: Three months' time is too a long period, it seems to be the delaying tactics of the government.

We also think that we need to be converted to Scheduled Tribes to have a concrete law to protect the indigenous people of the State.

Besides we are very concerned about the police retaliations at the time of agitation in the State.

It is very shocking.

They should first fire the tear gas canisters in the air and not to humans.

It was shocking to learn that the police chase away fellow students of Robinhood who tried to save him when he fell on the ground after being hit by a rubber bullet.

RK Bina and Kunjarani who are vegetable vendors at Khwairamband Keithel: We have not heard about the government announcing the withdrawal of the controversial bill.

We were selling vegetables at the market.

Social unrest like the present situation causes us big loss as vegetables get shriveled up and we end up not getting any returns for our investment.

One IRB personnel on duty: We have to report for duty by 6 am in the morning and are dropped at our duty spots by 7 am.

Our duty is over by 8 pm.

But in the last few days there have been extra duty hours.

There was a duty schedule of consecutive 48 hours and I was not sleeping for 2 days.

Our lunch and dinner were served in plates at the duty spots during the two days.

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