Newmai News Network Imphal | September 23 Altogether 21 ‘migrant workers’ were pushed back from the state on Friday after they were pulled down from passenger buses by volunteers of Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) that is launching a campaign for introduction of Inner Line Permit (ILP) or a similar law in Manipur. The move comes a day after the JCILPS announced to ban entry of non-locals into Manipur and boycott visit by Union ministers to the poll-bound state from today, September 23. The ban is in protest against the inability of the state government to pass an ILP related bill in the assembly by September 21, a deadline set by the Joint Committee. A group of members from the Women Wing of JCILPS led by its convenor Thongam Apabi tried to storm the Raj Bhavan here yesterday carrying on the campaign for introduction of ILP. The women protesters made a request to meet Governor Dr Najma Heptulla over the issue but permission was denied. “All non-locals who were coming to the state on Friday have been deported. We’ll detect and confirm the return to their destinations,” JCILPS Women Wing convenor Thongam Apabi told pressmen. All 21 non-locals were coming to Imphal from Guwahati when they were detained and sent back by the volunteers of Joint Committee. “Non-locals are not our enemy but they should understand the situation wherein the indigenous people are being left in a vulnerable condition owing to influx which poses a serious threat,” Joint Committee convenor BK Moirangcha said yesterday. Moirangcha said non-locals who are pursuing education and those working in government offices would not be encompassed by the ban. And the ban will not cover those non-locals who want to leave the state, he said. He said the Joint Committee will not lift the ban until the time the government passes a bill in the assembly. Quoting official sources the media here said the state government is working on a new bill to protect the interests of all indigenous people of Manipur. The Manipur government has deputed one Cabinet Minister and a retired IAS officer to hold talks with all concerned groups over the core issue of ILP, according to the newspaper reports.
