IMPHAL, November 18: The Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System along with various civil organizations and meira paibis observed “Deprivation Day” to mark the day the Inner Line Permit system was lifted from the state on in the year 1950, at Manipur Press Club today.
The function was attended by former Minister R V Mingthing and convenor of Joint Committee on ILP, Sapamcha Jadumani as chief guest and president respectively.
Giving the keynote address of the function, Mutum Churamani, co-convenor of the joint committee, said that “the Inner Line Permit System was lifted from the state on November 18, 1950 by the India government forcefully.”
“Today is also the deadline given to the state government to implement ILP system in the state.
From tomorrow onwards the joint committee will start disturbing ILP forms to outsiders in the state, he further said.
“This issue is the most important issue presently faced by the state as the state has been worst affected by outsiders’ population. Now that the outsiders’ population has outnumbered the indigenous pollution in the state, it has now become a compulsion to implement ILP system to protect the indigenous population,” he added.
President of PANDAM Yumnamcha Dilipkumar said that the implementation of ILP in the state is not a new issue.
The people of the state have been shouting for it since some 20 years back.
After lifting the ILP system from the state by the government on November 18, 1950, the outsiders’ population has increased to upto 55 percent of the entire state population, which is now creating fear among the indigenous population of the state.
The ethnic violence in Assam is due to outsiders’ population outnumbering indigenous population in some parts of the Assam state, he said.
He fears that such type of incident may happen in our state too, if don’t check it now. So it is very important to implement the ILP in the state, before the train reaches the state, he added.
Rose Mangse, president of Kuki Mothers’ Association, speaking at the function, said “the issue arising in the state is in a very critical stage now. It not a time for us to remain silent we need to fight with unity and solidarity among us. Time for action has come for all of us, to implement the Inner Line Permit in the state leaving our fears behind and with co-operation among each other to save our state indigenous people.”
She urged the 60 MLAs of the state to pressurize the centre government to implement it or else they all should resign from their post, she said.
The most affected areas are the hill areas and particularly Sadar hills, she added.
Speaking as the chief guest of the function, former Minister R.V. Mingthing said that our state comprises of different communities but there is a very deep understanding among each others.
“The centre government should respect the people of the state, the state cabinet decision on ILP, the state assembly private member resolution to urge the centre government to implement ILP in the state,” he further said.
“All the MLAs and Ministers of the state should stand for it and should raise their voices on why can’t the centre implement ILP in the state when it is implemented in the neighbouring states,” he said.
“The government had violated the right of the people of the state on November 18, 1950 by demolishing the permit. We should unite and raise our voices for the implementation of ILP in our state,” he added.
Giving his presidential speech, Sapamcha Jadumani, convenor of the joint committee, said that FREINDS observe this day every year but after the formation of Joint Committee on ILP, this is the first time the observation is held in such a way with the participation from various civil organizations and Meira Paibi.
The joint committee had two meeting with the state government in the last four months, but the government has failed to provide any answer on what the government has been doing for the past four months to implement the system in the state, he further said.
He said that joint committee will meet the state Deputy Chief Minister at 3.30 pm today for the third time and if the government fails to give a positive response then the joint committee will start disturbing the ILP forms starting from tomorrow onwards in some parts of the state.
He also invited suggestion from every section of society on what further steps could be taken for the implementation of ILP in the state.