Looking closely into Jiri MLA's identity: JCILPS
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 18 2017: Asking all the elected MLAs and the newly formed Government in the State to oblige to the call that non-indigenous people shall not contest elections before passing an effective Bill to safeguard the indigenous people, the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) said that it is looking closely into the identification documents possessed by Ashab Uddin, a Bengali Muslim who was elected from Jiribam AC in the recently held Assembly election.

Addressing a press conference today, BK Moirangcha, convenor of JCILPS said that the election of Ashab Uddin came at a time when the committee and the people have been demanding to pass a Bill with 1951 as the base year to protect the indigenous people from the incessant influx of migrants into the State.

He regretted that the MLA has not paid heed to the people's voice by contesting in the election.

He contended that the MLA's family have been inhabiting in the State since 1945 as per the land records possessed by the family.

Terming the MLA as a person who does not respect the people's voice, he expressed optimism that the newly formed Government led by BJP would seriously consider the concern raised by the committee considering the movement of the people.

However, it would not be a wise step on the part of the people to create agitation against the contentious identification of the MLA, BK Moirangcha observed.

Admitting that some amount of time had been taken in ascertaining the MLA's real identity, he claimed that the committee had started enquiring actual identity of the MLA 10 days before the election.

It may be mentioned that Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) on March 14 announced boycott of MLA Ashab Uddin, claiming that the MLA is a non-local.

The student body has called a people's convention tomorrow to discuss the matter.

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