IMPHAL, March 4: In keeping with the demand made on March 1 at a joint press meet by Janata Dal (United) and Aam Aadmi Party to extend the Assembly session for a few more days if the ILP Bill is not introduced in the ongoing session of the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly, the assembly session has been extended for two more days, stated JD (U) general secretary Len Gangte.
JD (U) expresses gratitude to the State government for its decision to extend the session for two more days to discuss the introduction of the ILP Bill or the Manipur Regulation of Visitors and Tenant Bill, 2015. JD (U) appreciates the decision of the government taken in the interests of the State`™s indigenous people, and welcomes it, he said.
The special Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Okram Ibobi, also the leader of the house, know the opinion of the people of the State and JD (U) hopes that the Bill will be introduced and passed in the interests of Manipuri people, he added. He said though the Bill is different from the draft Bill of the All political Parties Committee on ILP, JD(U) hopes that the Bill will be in the interests of the people, adding that it was the JD(U`™s main demand that the Bill be passed without any further delay.
He further condemned the Union Home Ministry for rejecting the Justice Jeevan Reddy Committee report on AFSPA. The committee submitted the report on AFSPA giving hope to the people of the North East on June 6, 2005 that the report may help in getting the draconian and inhumane act repealed.
The State unit of JD (U) condemns the dismissal of the report by the NDA government upon which people have vested a lot of hope when it came to power. The NDA government must reconsider its decision on the report, and it`™s our main demand, he said.
Civil societies, women folks, scholars and students`™ organisations have pressurised the previous UPA government to repeal the draconian act from the NE region and J&K, he said, adding the Jeevan Reddy Committee report gave hope to the people that AFSPA could be repealed. However, it is unfortunate that the NDA government after coming to power has taken a stance which the UPA government maintained for more than a decade, he laments.
The much publicised focus on the NE states is meaningless if the BJP led NDA government vehemently opposes the repeal of AFSPA, he observed.
Meanwhile, Len Gangte also extended his warm wishes on the eve of the Yaoshang festival to all the people of Manipur.