IMPHAL, May 31: Any form of suggestion that the law and order situation in the state has made improvement will be an utter lie and the chaotic situation arising from the government’s inability to control the ongoing agitations will serve as an open invitation for promulgation of President’s Rule, said advocate Khaidem Mani while talking to media persons at his office today.
Mani put the blame on the delay dallying tactics of state and Union governments for the prevailing air of uncertainty in both the hills and valley of Manipur due to conflicting but equally intense agitations in the two areas which originated from the passing of three Bills connected to re-introduction of Inner Line Permit System in the state.
The three bills on safeguarding the indigenous people of the state were passed on August 31, 2015 with consent from all 60 MLAs. After the Governor of Manipur referred the Bills to the President of India for his assent, the state should have put more pressure on the Central government for quickening the process of converting the bills into Act. At the same time, the Centre has been putting the people of the state in suspense for the last eight months breeding mistrust and chaos and ten precious lives were lost during the period, Mani said.
He further castigated the state government for lacking urgency in seeking an appointment with Central leaders on behalf of the all political parties’ delegation with the purpose of convincing the latter to convert the three bills into Acts.
Giving his views on the ongoing stir taken up under the initiative of Joint Committee for Inner Line Permit System, Mani said many times the demonstration had taken ugly turns and often it appeared that the methods of agitation drifted beyond the control of JCILPS. The diktat from the students’ wing of JCILPS to its volunteers to choose their own style of demonstration is very undemocratic, he added.
If the state government does not take immediate measures for stabilisation of the current mess over introduction of ILPS, it will be an invitation for imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur, he said suggesting that the Governor could invoke Article 355 of 366 of the Constitution for effecting PR.
He made a sincere appeal to public joining in the ILP protests to follow instructions from JCILPS while carrying out demonstrations, mentioning that President’s Rule is not desirable to the state government, public or any other section of the society.