The Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) today resume sit-in protest at different places of Imphal area as the state government has failed to introduce law check illegal migrants in the state.
Sit-in-protest was held at Khwairamband Ima Keithel by women vendors under the aegis of the JCILPS since early morning today. Placards urging the government authority for introduction of ILPS were used during the protest.
The protest is resumed as the state government has failed to introduce bill to protect indigenous people of the state during the ongoing state assembly session which begins from February 25. With just 2 sitting left, JCILP had expressed apprehension about the matter being neglected by the state government. Taking the matter seriously convenor and co-convenor of the JCILPS yesterday announced to resume the agitation from today. They had also threaten to intensify the agitation by boycotting the last sitting of the state assembly if the government failed to pass a bill on March 1 sitting.
In a joint meeting of the representatives of the political parties, the JCILPS and government officials, on February 18, in the office of Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, it was assured that the Bill would be tabled and passed during the budget session of the Manipur Assembly.
However, just two days are left for the session and so far there is no indication that the Bill will be passed. The JCILPS had submitted a 282-page memorandum having six demands.
During the meeting, the JCILPS said that 1951 should be the base year and all those who came after it should not be allowed to settle in Manipur. They should not be allowed to own land. However, the Chief Minister had clarified that since the migrant workers are Indians they cannot be denied land ownership.
The women’s and students’ wings of the JCILPS were very active and threw normal life out of gear in the past through various agitations.
Since the police could not contain the agitations, talks were held and the government gave an assurance to pass the Bill which will restrict the entry of the migrant workers.
The ILP in another nomenclature, The Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873 which had been in force in Manipur was withdrawn from November 18, 1950. The ILP system is in force in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland.
