Keep ILP suspended for now: MANPAC
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 27 2020: Reacting to the premature resumption of issuance of ILP pass to enter the State, Manipur People Against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 (MANPAC) has questioned what led the Government to hastily resume the issuance of the pass at a time when the State is hard pressed to control the COVID-19 transmission.

MANPAC, in a statement, said that many bodies had hailed the decision of the State Government to suspend the issuance of ILP in mid-March in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keep ILP suspended for now: MANPAC

However, it is unfortunate to see the Government revoking the suspension and deciding to resume issuance of the pass to allow entry of non locals when the number of COVID-19 cases is rapidly growing.

Security forces at ILP check posts are being assisted by members of CSOs and healthcare workers since the imposition of lockdown on account of the pandemic, reminded MANPAC.

Since the Government has ordered resumption of issuance of ILP pass, the Government should also check whether the entrants are COVID-19 free and posses ILP pass, said MANPAC.

The Government has somehow succeeded in bringing back the natives stranded in different parts of the country but the situation in the State is getting worse, said MANPAC and expressed concern that there is neither much news about non locals leaving the State nor the Government is seen making any arrangement to send them back.

Which data necessitated the Government to call in skilled labour from outside the State in this grim situation, asked the body.

Terming the order to revoke the suspension of ILP, as very untimely, the body demanded the Government to immediately suspend the issuance of ILP pass.

Do not invite public unrest amid the COVID-19 crisis, the body warned.

Recalling the ILP demand movements and anti CAB protests in the State which had left many injured, MANPAC said that ILP was not easily presented to the people.

Allowing mass influx of non-locals when organisations are pointing out that the regulatory system lacks requisite guidelines, is unsuitable, said the body.

The policy to allow mass influx of non locals indicates that the functioning of the State Government is greatly 'influenced by outsiders', remarked the body.

It is a great initiative on the part of the State Government to launch a web portal to collect data of skills the unemployed State returnees posses but how come the Government had felt that the State required migrant labourers and there is need to resume the issuance of ILP.

MANPAC will be sending a formal letter to the authority concerned and soon find out how many people have entered the State at Bir Tikendrajit International Airport without ILP pass, it said and urged the Government to sort out those non locals who have mingled with the locals and make necessary arrangement to send them back to their native places.