IT News
Imphal, July 8:
The Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) has called for the updating of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the strengthening of the Manipur Population Commission on the death anniversary of Sapam Robinhood, a significant figure in the ILP movement.
In a press statement released by JCILPS, it was highlighted that the introduction of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system in Manipur marks a significant step towards regulating migration and preserving local demographics. Their statement adds that “while the state cabinet has proposed 1961 as the base year, many locals advocate for maintaining 1951. Comparatively, Mizoram uses January 26, 1950, and Nagaland’s cutoff is December 1, 1963, with Dimapur adopting November 21, 1979, as its base year.”
According to JCILPS, the implementation faced obstacles as the state government lacked the authority to enforce such regulations. This led to increased protests and demands from civil society organizations (CSOs) for protective legislation.
“On March 13, 2015, three bills were introduced in the Manipur State Assembly and passed by voice vote on March 16, 2015. Unfortunately, these bills were later withdrawn due to concerns over their potential impact on indigenous people, sparking widespread protests and rallies. The most tragic incident occurred on July 8, 2015, when a student named Sapam Robinhood lost his life during a protest, an event that further fueled the agitation. The death of Sapam Robinhood, remembered as “Lamjing Meira,” intensified the community’s resolve,” it added. On his death anniversary, JCILPS renewed their call for the ILP system’s implementation.
It also reminded that “CAB, passed by the Lok Sabha on January 8, 2019, posed a significant threat to the indigenous communities of the Northeast, including Manipur. In response to the CAB, various CSOs and apex bodies convened an emergency leaders’ meet on January 28, 2019, forming the “Manipur People Against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016” (MANPAC). MANPAC’s efforts culminated in large-scale protests across the Northeast. The Northeast Peoples’ Conference 2019, held at City Convention in Imphal, led to the formation of the “North East Forum for Indigenous People” (NEFIP), which organized multiple protests, including submitting a memorandum to the Prime Minister of India on World Indigenous Day, August 9, 2019.”
According to JCILPS, recognizing the intensity of the opposition, the Indian government invited MANPAC and Manipur government representatives to New Delhi for discussions. These aimed to address the demands for the ILP system and the protection of indigenous rights. Moreover, in tandem with these efforts, the Manipur state government proposed the establishment of the Manipur State Population Commission to oversee demographic changes and effectively implement the ILP system.
JCILPS has demanded not only the strengthening of the Manipur Population Commission but also updation of NRC on the death anniversary of Sapam Robinhood.
