Imphal, November 08 2017: JCILPS has set November 30, as the deadline for the State Government to make public the drafting of a Bill for protection of indigenous people of the State, after consulting the CSOs/stake holders and all the parties concerned of both the hills and valley and to pass it in the Assembly session, this year.
JCILPS convenor Arjun Telheiba informed this to media personnel during a press meet held at JCILPS’ office at Kwakeithel Konjeng Hajari Leikai, today .
He further asked the State Government to finish drafting the Bill by November 25, by consulting the CSOs and stakeholders based in hills and valley so as to avoid any confusion or differences among the communities residing in the State at the time the Bill is drafted .
He observed that it is necessary to pass a Bill that will befittingly prevent/halt the influx of immigrants in the State in the interest of the public, specially the indigenous communities, and added that JCILPS has been taking up various types of protests and agitation to get this objective since the last many years .
In the previous year, a Bill passed in the State Assembly was rejected by the Centre, due to the objection by hill people .
Now, the Government should sit together with the CSOs, NGOs and other stake holders of both the hills and valley and unanimously sort out a Bill that is deemed fit for preventing the influx of immigrants in the State so as to prevent any differences from cropping up at the last hour, Arjun said .
Even though the State Government has assured to bring out an appropriate Bill that will not harm any indigenous communities in the State, the Convener decried that the State Government has not taken up any serious endeavour to translate that assurance into action and urged the authority to do the needful at the earliest .
The Convenor said that the committee will take up various types of serious agitation if the State Government fails to come out with a drafted Bill by November 30 this year .
Welcoming the recent announcement made in the media by the proscribed Maoist Communist Party, Manipur that it will carry out a week long movement to protect the indigenous people by joining hands with the public from November 11, Arjun however appealed the outfit to withdraw the step stating that the committee is apprehensive of being mistaken by the public that the movement is carried out under the shadow of an outfit .
He further said that the State may take another chance by accusing the Committee and alleging that the movement is incited by the proscribed outfit.
Source: The Sangai Express
