Home Minister’s announcement to extend the Inner Line Permit System under Eastern Bengal Frontier Regulation, 1873, in Manipur during debate for passing of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019 yesterday in Lok Sabha, needs appreciation from all communities of the state for two reasons. Reason 1- the kind of legislation has been a long pending demand by the people of Manipur. Reason 2- if the said ILP is introduced or extended in Manipur CAB may be exempted and influx of migrants can be checked.
Well, for the people of Manipur, it seems to have no significance in discussing over the legitimacy of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019, as our voice has no place in the Lok Sabha which has 543+2 members including nominees. Whether it is against the constitution of India or not, literally it has nothing to do with Manipuri people. Any Manipuri, who have little A,B,C about the constitution of India knows that there are provisions in the constitution of India that is against the interest of Manipur. For example, article 3 of the constitution of India which empowered the parliament to form a new States or alteration of areas, boundaries or names of existing has been always a threat to the state of Manipur, it is also worth mentioning the AFSPA 1958 which is still in force, etc., and our demand are useless as in number game minorities with less representation in the law making body are not worth. So, it seems better in getting something than nothing at all when it comes to the state of Manipur. The first thing that we should be taking care is to make Manipuri survive and remain protected from any external intrusion to our identity, culture and tradition. If ILPS under the under Eastern Bengal Frontier Regulation, 1873 is extended, it is one means to fence the state from external intrusion.
But has the ILPS as announced by Amit Shah during discussion of the CAB in Lok Sabha yesterday, enough for a large scale celebration by even announcing state holiday. In second thought, the announcement for the need of extension of the ILPS in the state of Manipur does not officially declare that ILPS is enforced in Manipur. For official implementation, general procedure extending ILPS under Eastern Bengal Frontier Regulation, 1873, the state assembly of Manipur has to pass a resolution (Which has already done in 2012) and the matter after forwarding to the Union government has to table it in the form of amendment Bill in the parliament just as the CAB 2019 is done and later passing it has to be included in the official gazette. There is no short cut to the introduction of a new legislation or extension of an existing legislation. A mere announcement on sympathy ground is not legislation until it is passed following the due process of law.
Every persons need to be happy but celebration should be done after everything is in black and white.
What if the CAB , 2019 is passed before the enactment of ILPS as stated by HM is introduced?
In the section 3 clause 4 of the revise CAB 2019 introduced yesterday in Lok Sabha , it is stated, Nothing in this section shall apply to tribal area of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram or Tripura as included in the Six Schedule to the Constitution and the area covered under “the Inner Line” notified under the “Eastern Bengal Frontier Regulation, 1873”
Manipur still is not under the Sixth Schedule neither ILPS enforced. Before the passing of this Citizenship Bill the HM should first pass an amendment for extension of ILPS in the Parliament so that the state of Manipur can also be included in the Section 3 clause 4 of the said Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019. Otherwise, the announcement by Home Minister Amit Shah which touched the sentiment of 1000s Manipuri will turn another poison.
