Imphal, Aug 30: Exerting pressure on the State Government to revive the abolished Inner Line Permit System to control over influx of outsiders into Manipur, ACOAM-Lup Kangleipak has demanded the State Cabinet to hold a meeting to discuss the matter at the earliest possible.

Maintaining that all the political parties in Manipur should include the demand for revival of Inner Line Permit system as an agenda in their respective election manifestos, the Lup has also appealed to all the drivers of the passenger buses and trucks plying along National Highways 39 and 53 to stop bringing in outsiders on one pretext or another.

Addressing a press conference at its office this afternoon, ACOAM-Lup president Lanjaigai Kamei pointed out as just as neighbouring States like Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh have and implement their own systems to control outsiders coming into their States, the Inner Line Permit system which had been abolished should be revived in Manipur so as to arrest the consequences of uninterrupted flow of migrants into Manipur.

Talking on the history of Inner Line Permit system in Manipur, Lanjaigai said it was first introduced on November 1, 1931 and remained in force till November 17, 1950 when the then Chief Commissioner Himat Singh abolished it by issuing an order on November 18, 1950.Since then there has been no let up to the influx of outsiders into Manipur, he said, noting that more than 4 lakhs outsiders are now living in the capital Imphal itself.

Lanjaigai also pledged that ACOAM-Lup would extend all possible support to the Demand Committee which is spear-heading the agitation for re-introduction of Inner Line Permit system.

Secretary of ACOAM-Lup Kh Chandramani expressed apprehension that the entire population of the indigenous people might be wiped after some years if no step have been taken up to control the influx of migrants in Manipur from now onward.

Quoting the census report of 2001, Chandramani said the total population of the outsiders in Manipur is 9,40,488 as against the indigenous tribal population of 6,70,782.In some places of Manipur like Kanglatongbi and Imphal city, the number of outsiders has become more than the indigenous people, thereby compelling to wonder whether these places are parts of Manipur or Bihar, Chandramani said.

Stressing on the exigency of revival the Inner Line Permit System, he further pointed out that during the reign of Kings in Manipur, there was a separate department to deal and control the foreigners coming to Manipur.

This department imposed taxes on the foreigners visiting Manipur and they were not even allow to foot on the soil of Manipur without permission from this department, he said.

Working president of ACOAM-Lup Indrakumar Ningombam who was also present during the press conference, categorically stated that indigenous people of Manipur should not adopt the family planning before any concrete measures have taken up to control the influx of outsiders.

To ensure these outsiders do not get a foothold in the electoral politics, he observed that all the political parties should include the demand of revival of Inner Line Permit System in Manipur as a compulsory agenda in their respective election manifestos.

He also demanded the State Cabinet to discuss demand for introduction of Inner Line Permit system with right earnestness it deserves.

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