ILP campaign to hinge on experts
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 11 2011: Announcing constitution of an expert Committee related to the issue of promulgating Inner Line Permit (ILP) system in Manipur, president of Federation of Regional Indigenous Society (FREINDS) Sapamcha Jadumani has said the panel will soon submit its report to the Government.

Speaking to newspersons at the Keishampat office of the Federation today, Jadumani said the Expert committee has been formed in the backdrop of positive response from the people's representatives at the recent Assembly session as well as taking into account the State Cabinet citing lack of relevant papers to reintroduce ILP system in Manipur.

Noting that when CPI legislator N Mangi brought the ILP issue to the floor of the Assembly on August 26 leader of the house and Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh and other members of the Assembly endorsed the motion, Jadumani said the Committee was set up to specifically examine every aspect and facilitate the Government for a legislation on ILP system in Manipur.

While appreciating concern shown by the state legislatures with regard to continuous influx of migrant workers and reacting to the State Cabinet recently conceding that relevant papers are necessary for effective introduction of ILP, he expressed confidence that findings of the Committee will enable the Government to do the needful.

While pointing out that in North Eastern States such as Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram entry of non-locals are being barred due to enforcement of ILP system, he highlighted that indigenous population in Manipur is being gradually diluted as a consequence of revocation of ILP since November 18, 1950 .

Setting up of the Committee, which will include selective legal luminaries, archivists, historians and academicians of the State, is said to have become inevitable to protect 'minority Manipuris' from the overwhelming Inter-State migration within the democratic framework of Indian republic.

Conceding that the issue has now become a serious political agenda for Manipur, Jadumani opined that need of the hour is to examine the issue thoroughly and prepare an appropriate constitutional legal framework in order to enable representatives of the people pass a Bill at the earliest.

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