IMPHAL, MAY 17: The Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System has stressed again that the three bills passed by Manipur Assembly which were caught in the middle of a controversy after being labelled as anti-tribals should be applicable in all parts of the state.
Talking to media persons at its office in Keishampat, convenor of JCILPS Kh Ratan pointed out that the three bills namely The Protection of Manipur People Bill, the Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (Seventh Amendment) Bill 2015 and the Manipur Shops and Establishment (Second Amendment) Bill 2015 were passed unanimously with the support of all 60 MLAs including those from hill constituencies in the state Assembly. He argued that if the bills become Acts it will not work against the interest of any community in the state, maintaining that the bills are for the protection of all indigenous people inhabiting the state.
The JCILPS has conveyed unhappiness over the death of nine persons in Churachandpur during protest against the passing of the bills in the state Assembly, nine months after the incident. Terming the tragic incident as unfortunate, Ratan said it was caused due to lapses in communication. He said the bills are for protection of all indigenous people of the state and made a fervent appeal to all communities to support the bills.
JCILPS has been holding talks with many tribal civil organisation leaders and individuals in the bid to make them understand the true nature of the three Bills, he said.
Referring to the failed promise on sending an all political parties team to New Delhi on May 16 to lobby for the three bills, Ratan urged the state government to send the delegation at the earliest to accomplish its set mission. Otherwise, the JCILPS will launch intense form of agitations, he warned.
Ratan alleged that the political parties have diverted all their attention to the upcoming Imphal Municipal Corporation election rather fixing their thoughts on protection of the state’s indigenous people.
JCILPS further reiterated its appeal against organising entertainment programme during the ongoing ILPS agitation.