IMPHAL, August 7: The present issue of foreigners over-flooding in the State has been created by politicians who practice vote bank politics, BJP Manipur Pradesh spokesperson RK Shivchandra told the media today.
He said it is seriously alarming that out of 27 thousand voters in Jiribam, 20 thousand are foreigners, and added now several other constituencies like Thangmeiband and Wangkhei are also facing the same problem.
Addressing a press meet at the party’s Nityaipat Chuthek office, he said the party strongly condemns the firing of tear gas shells and use of brute force by the police to control students and womenfolk agitating in demand of Inner Line Permit System implementation in the State.
If the present government led by Chief Minister, Okram Ibobi, is sincere towards the public demand, as suggested by yesterday’s all-political party meeting, it should release all those arrested in connection with the present movement unconditionally, he continued.
Failure to do so will only reveal the true intention of the government towards the ILP demand movement, he added.
The BJP spokesperson also demanded the government to enact proper laws to check the selling of land to outsiders in the State and to immediately constitute a committee to monitor the illegal entry of foreigners at Moreh, Jiribam, Churachandpur and Mao.
“ILP alone cannot save the indigenous population, we need stronger land laws, like in Shimla where foreigners cannot buy land there,” Shivchandra pointed out.
Referring to yesterday’s all-political party meeting, he said it will be unproductive, like in the previous instances of the Momoko incident and the Indo-Myanmar border issue, he asked the government to take advice from the JCILPS instead of taking political party representatives to Delhi.
The government should take opinions from JCILPS and other CSOs and discuss the issue with other experts of the State on whether to go to Delhi or enact a law on its own, he said.
He said the Union Home Ministry had earlier in 2012, already written to the principal secretary, Home asserting that the State government cannot implement the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act 1873 in the State as it is applicable only in the North Eastern States of Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh.
On July 19, 2012, the Union Ministry had also asked the government if the ILP was implemented in the State in the past and to furnish the period if it was, he said. He said although the BJP has not a single representative in the Manipur Legislative Assembly, it considers the 60 MLAs as representatives of the people.
He said it would be much better if the MLAs could agitate at Delhi during the Assembly session.
