IMPHAL, August 10: More than a month after young student Sapam Robinhood died in police action during a rally demanding Inner Line Permit System in the State, the State government and the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System sat down together and talked on the issue for the first time today.
Both parties agreed to perform the last rites of the student at the earliest, while the government assured to release the students arrested by the police during the present movement and proper punishment for the policeman who manhandled a girl student protestor during a recent agitation of the students.
The talk which was held at the Chief Minister`™s bungalow commenced from 4 pm and was attended by all the cabinet ministers and MLAs Ng Bijoy and RK Anand.
The JCILPS was represented by a 14 member-strong team in the talk which lasted for almost 3 hours.
Following the talk, the JCILPS convenor, Kh Ratan told mediapersons that the talk with the government has been satisfactory and another round of further talk to discuss the 5 points chalked out by the JCILPS will be held on August 12 at 3 pm.
However, the second round of talk will be held only if the government fulfills the primary agreement reached today, which is to release the students currently in judicial custody, he said.
The convenor also pointed out that the JCILPS had demanded to see the ILP bill drafted by the State commissioned drafting committee which was recently submitted to the government.
However, it was denied by the State citing that the bill was still a basic framework and not entirely completed and hence needed more inputs, he added.
`The government has said that it was only a dummy bill and needs more retouching from experts,` Ratan said.
He added that in the next rounds of talk, the JCILPS`™ 5-points will be deliberated upon for inclusion in the draft bill.
Both sides had assured mutual cooperation to the best possible extent, he claimed.
The convenor however said that protests need to be continued although in a democratic and non-violent manner till an amicable solution is reached.
He asserted that the JCILPS is hopeful that the time frame set for August 15 to produce the ILP bill in the Manipur Assembly will be fulfilled after the second round of talks is completed.
The government had also assured to provide compensation for those civilians seriously hurt in the agitations, he said.
On being questioned by the media on why the JCILPS has decided to take the body of Robinhood as before it was announced that his body will only be taken back post the ILP Bill produced in the Assembly; convenor Ratan replied that the JAC of Robinhood and his family had given authorization to the JCILPS to decide for the best and hence, the decision was taken to conduct the last rites of Robinhood.
It may be mentioned that there were no representatives of the JAC of late Robinhood in the talks today.