CCpur JAC thanks, accuses State Govt of being partial to valley
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 19 2016 :
The Joint Action Committee Against Anti-Tribal Bills has thanked the tribal people of Manipur, including the people of Tamenglong, Senapati, Sadar Hills, Ukhrul, Chandel, Singngat, Jiribam, Lamka and JAC units at various sub-divisional headquarters for their support and cooperation to the 48-hours total shutdown clamped at tribal areas from the midnight of May 16 to midnight of May 18 .
In a statement, the JAC said that the communal attitude, discriminatory policies and prejudiced mindset of the Manipur Government becomes more evident with each passing day.
A brief two-month agitation in the valley resulted in a Special Session of the Manipur State Assembly passing the three 'anti-tribal' Bills on August 31, 2015, and a three-day agitation in the valley for pressurising the Union Government to give President's assent led to an all-political party meeting that resolved to send a delegation to voice the concern of the valley people, said the JAC.
However, the Manipur Government has still chosen to turn a blind eye to the 261-day old tribal movement in the hills/tribal areas till date.
In fact, the Manipur Government still refuses to call a special session of the State Legislative Assembly to deliberate the JAC's charter of demands in spite of the request made by the JAC, the statement said.
The 'communal' Manipur Government continues to undermine the cries of the tribal people till today and this only points to the deep divide between the hills/tribal areas and the valley.
The JAC reiterated that the three 'anti-tribal' Bills are very much political in nature and have nothing to do with the Inner Line Permit System (ILPS) .
The Government intends to play identity politics with the the Protection of Manipur People Bill, 2015, politics of land with the Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (Seventh Amendment) Bill, 2015 and politics of economy and livelihood with the Manipur Shops and Establishments (Second Amendment) Bill, 2015, it alleged.
As such, a political solution is the only acceptable and sustainable solution for the tribal people, the JAC said.
It also requested all the media houses to refrain from 'misleading' the public by wrongly projecting and publicizing these three 'anti-tribal' Bills as ILP Bills and create unnecessary confusion in the minds of the public.