Newmai News Network Imphal | June 18 The BJP led coalition Government in Manipur is facing the heat from the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) as the latter group has demanded that the State Government presents a bill for the “protection of the indigenous people of Manipur” by June, 2018. The JCILPS also demanded that feedback should be taken from all the “stakeholders” before the State Government passes the bill during the forthcoming monsoon session of the Manipur legislative assembly. It can be noted here that The Manipur Regulation of Visitors, Tenants and Migrant Workers (MRVT&MW) Bill, 2015 was introduced by the previous State Government of Manipur but the people have rejected it more than a couple of years ago. According to Arjun Telheiba, convenor of JCILPS, the Chief Minister had told them that a ‘drafting committee’ on the said bill comprising of 13 members had been constituted. The Chief Minister had also told them that by the early part of June, 2018 a draft copy would be made available to the “stakeholders”. The JCILPS leader rued that so far nothing has come forth in this regard. Meanwhile, Arjun Telheiba warned of dire consequences if any half baked bill is brought about again by the State Government. On August 31, 2015, the Manipur Assembly passed three bills which became contentious thereafter. The tribal people termed the bills as ‘anti-tribal.” Nine protesters were killed and many injured when violence broke in Churachandpur district in southern Manipur following passing of the bills in 2015. It may be recalled here that the “tribal movement” against the three controversial bills came to end on the 618th day on May 10, 2017 following the signing of a 9-point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the State Government of Manipur and the Joint Action Committee Against Anti Tribal Bills (JAC-AATB) at Mizo People Convention Office, Churachandpur in southern Manipur. Meanwhile, the JCILPS has asked the State Government to convene a meeting of all the “stakeholders” from the hills and the valley to discuss on the Inner Line Permit (ILP) issue.
