Tamenglong bodies react over ADC Bill, rescinded order of Speaker
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, September 13 2021:
Under the aegis of Tamenglong Concerned Peoples' Forum (TCPF); The Forerunner, Tamenglong Village Students' Federation (TVSF), Society for Enhancing Tamenglong (SET) and United Women Organisation, Tamenglong (UWOT) have strongly condemned the state government for not tabling the Manipur (Hill Areas) Autonomous District Councils Bill 2021 in the recently concluded assembly session, and the order of the Speaker of Manipur Legislative Assembly, which has been subsequently rescinded, for induction of eight valley MLAs into the Hill Areas Committee (HAC) .
In a statement, TCPF said that the recent decisions and actions of the government are infringement on the rights of tribal/indigenous people living in the hill districts of Manipur and also a direct affront to the Article 371(C) of the Constitution of India, and the Presidential Order of 1972 .
The policies of the government under the leadership of CM Biren are widening the rifts between the hills and valley.
The staggered development and mfrastructural injustice meted out to th$ hill districts, along with these incidences of biased policies, point to the fact that the oft-repeated slogan 'Chingtam Amatani' is a mere utterance, devoutly invoked when situations serve only a certain community.
Slogans like 'Go to Village' or 'Go to Hills' are not alternatives to tangible, realistic, and equitable development, the statement said, while maintaining that obstruction to the ADC Bill by the valley-based CSOs, and the decision of the government are clear indications of a politics of domination and sidelining of the genuine rights of the tribal/indigenous communities.
It then demanded the government to withdraw all discriminatory policies against the tribal/indigenous communities in the hill districts and recognise the constitutional provisions that provide safeguards and protection to the tribals/indigenous peoples.
The statement also termed the continuation of.
the 'Go to Hills 2.0' as a direct insult to the tribal people.
The forum then appealed to the people of the district to stand up against discriminatory policies and support the fight against blatant injustices and long-drawn subjugation over the rights of the tribal/indigenous communities.