IT News
Imphal, Dec 8
As MANPAC, the civil body intensifies its agitation against the passing of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, the position of the state government is at critical juncture on dealing with the situation. Assurances by the Chief Minister about having full faith to the central leadership about insertion of a clause turn out to be a joke and the only means seem to have left with the Government is living on the prayer for a blessing from the central Ministers with hopes of getting the Inner Line Permit System for the state, which has now failed to convince the MANPAC and the people of Manipur.
It seems like the state government headed by Chief Minister N. Biren Singh is now left with no other option than waiting center’s blessing for the re-introduction of ILPS in the state, which may turn out to be waiting for Samuel Beckett’s Godot. At this critical juncture, it is now MP Dr. Ranjan who is the only hope for rescue of the BJP led state government from the criticism of the Manipur people.
Imphal Times talks to some of the civil society leaders and legislators on the issue to find out if Manipur have lost every hope as the contents of the Bill mention nothing for protection of the state of Manipur and the answer from many of them is negative saying that a powerful uprising in the state in hands with other civil societies of the North Eastern States is the only option left.
However, Octogenarian politician Okram Joy had a different view. He said, RK Ranjan, the MP from inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency have every right to move amendment motion when the CAB is introduced.
Civil group MANPAC, having no other option after the assurances to them by Union Home Minister has not been found in the revised CAB , 2019 has gear up its agitation from today.
As for the Government of Manipur, the only means that they are using for suppressing the peoples’ oppositions and agitation to the passing of the Bill is that they have full confidence to their leader as they assured about re-introducing the Inner Line Permit System that are enforced in the neighbouring states of Nagaland and Mizoram. This perhaps fails to convince the people as no visible action from the side of the Government in inserting a clause for protection of NE states including Manipur.
Now, after the Union cabinet has cleared for introduction of the CAB , 2019, followed by distribution of the Bill to the members of the Parliament, it is loud and clear that, there is no saving clause to the Bill component when it comes for the state of Manipur.
In its revised form, the bill states the amendments will not be applicable to regions in the North East protected by the Inner Line Permit and Sixth Schedule provisions. This includes the whole of Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, most of Nagaland, Meghalaya and Tripura, and certain pockets of Assam.
Manipur is the only state in the region which is not covered by the exemptions.
