IMPHAL, March 13: The Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System, JCILPS, in a press release insisted that the Assembly must not only introduce a bill to protect the indigenous peoples of the State but also pass it on March 16 when the 10th Session of the Assembly concludes.
The release said this should be the responsibility on the shoulders of all the 60 MLAs in the Assembly.
It said when Manipur was merged with India in 1949, there was a legislation that regulated transit and exit pass system, but this was discontinued. Ever since the influx into the state has been such that today migrant settlers form one third of the total population of the state. If uncontrolled, it is a foregone conclusion that the demographic balance would go in favour of settlers, it said.
It is to counter this threat to the survival of indigenous peoples that a legislation for their protection is necessary. The release likened such a legislation to one that protects the endangered Sangai`™s home, the Keibul Lamjao, ensuring the rare deer`™s survival, though extremely threatened.
The release also said the JCILPS objects to the proposal to use the term visitors to signify non locals in the proposed bill. Instead, it said terms such as Non-Manipuri, Non-Indigenous People and Migrant, would be more suitable.
It said the proposal defines `visitor` as `a person who is a citizen of India but not having a permanent residence in the state and who intends to enter the state for a lawful purpose.` This definition would legitimise settlers who entered the state after 1949 as permanent residents and they would need no permit. It also contested the use of the word permanent residents in the proposed bills.
It said the ILP movement was necessitated by the presence of over nine lakh settlers threatening to upset the demography of the state. This being the case, the JCILPS said putting the cut off year to define migrant as 1951 would be justified.
It said Manipur is a small hill state of 22,327 sq km. Of this 92 percent forms the hill districts reserved and protected for Scheduled Tribes. The remaining 8 percent is where everybody is allowed to settled as per the rights guaranteed under Article 19(1) of the Indian Constitution. The dangers in this situation is evident, it said.
It therefore said the demand for a ILP is perfectly justified.
