‘Indigenous people’ and the ‘Permanent Resident’ in the ILP guidelines not clearly defined – O. Ibobi
IT News
Imphal, Jan 5
Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Okram Ibobi Singh today urged the government for a threat bare discussion over the formulation of guidelines for Inner Line Permit introduced in the state under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulations.
“The ‘Indigenous people’ and the ‘Permanent Resident’ mentioned in the guideline as per the gazette notification of the Government of Manipur published on December 31, are not clearly defined”, the former Chief Minister and leader of the opposition Okram Ibobi Singh said while talking to a group of reporters at his official quarter today morning.
Congress MLAs Gaikhangam, Govindas Konthoujam, K. Ranjit, DD Thaisii, Khumukcham Joykishan and K. Meghachandra were also present during the press conference.
Okram Ibobi Singh said that the appropriate forum for discussion of such issue for law makers is the State Assembly and the special session scheduled tomorrow should give time to discuss the issue of guidelines for ILP for implementing it effectively, as the ILP is a long pending demand for the people of the state.
“The agenda for tomorrow’s session is for endorsing the 126 Amendment of the article 334 for extension of reservations of the ST, SC and other marginal communities for another period of 10 years and that the speaker of the house can take the opportunity of the sitting to discuss over the guidelines of the ILP”, Ibobi said urging the government for listing of discussing the guidelines for implementation of ILP in Manipur.
“No provisions of the Manipur Peoples’ Protection Bill which the state Assembly had passed as per the desire of the people of the state, that is still remain pending for getting assent has been included in the guideline”, Ibobi said while adding that there are loopholes to the guidelines for effective implementation of the ILP which is the desire of the people.
The CLP leader even cited example of neighbouring state Nagaland saying that after the state felt that there are loopholes to the ILP in their state they even constituted a High Power Committee for examining it. The recommendation by the committee after thorough examination had submitted a report. Even the state of Arunachal Pradesh also felt the same as the present ILP is not effective enough to check the influx of outsiders.
Ibobi also urged the government to take the matter with extreme seriousness, an appeal for a threadbare debate in the state assembly. The guidelines have no provision of how long a student studying in the state can stay and exempting all Army personnel, Para-military and those working in central services and their family members from ILP is gross mistake as the guidelines. If it is about those posted in the state then it is okay but exempting the ILP to all central government employees will make ILP meaningless, Ibobi said.
