Manipur, IMPHAL, July 14: The people of Manipur have been blindfolded by the state government on the issue of Inner Line Permit System by passing a resolution to urge the Centre on the extension of Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873 in Manipur, stated BJP national general secretary Tapir Gaon at a press conference in Imphal today.
Addressing media persons at the BJP Manipur Unit office located at Nityaipat Chuthek, the national general secretary further stated that the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873 is still in effect in Mizoram and Nagaland. The Regulation was lifted from Manipur in 1950 by the then Chief Commissioner Himat Singh. So far the Regulation has not been amended in the Parliament and it was also not mentioned in the Manipur Merger Agreement. The Chief Minister has the full authority to reenact the ILP System in the state, he noted.
The Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation is neither included in the union list nor in the state list. The state Congress government led by Okram Ibobi might have a hidden agenda to divert the issue of Inner Line Permit System, Tapir asserted.
Manipur BJP president, Sh Shantikumar stated that the BJP leaders of the state led by Saheed Modhumangol had even laid down their lives in the demand struggle of 8th Schedule status for Manipuri language. The BJP has not remained silent over Richard Loitam’s case and it will launch stern agitations, he averred.
BJP northeast zonal organizational secretary, Chandrasekhar Rao stated that the government should be proactive in identifying the illegal migrants and check their influx. The issue of illegal migrants is looming large in Assam and other northern states. The BJP would press the Centre in the implementation of Inner Line Permit System in the state, he stated.
Tapir Gaon also appealed to all MPs and MLAs of Northeast to cast their votes in favour of PA Sangma in the coming Presidential Elections. He stated that PA Sangma is a great political leader from the northeast who has held several important posts as Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Union Minister and Speaker of Lok Sabha. The BJP is not against the Muslim and other minority groups, he reiterated.
