Biren assures ILP bill

Students urged to end agitation, invited to talks

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | July 28

Chief minister N. Biren Singh assured the Assembly today that his government will introduce a bill to safeguard the interest of the indigenous people.

The chief minister’s assurance came as college and school students are agitating in support of the demand for protection of indigenous people by not allowing outsiders to contest elections. The movement is being spearheaded by Kangleipak Students Association.

Biren, who is also the leader of the House, appealed to students to end their agitations, maintaining that the government is working on a bill.

“The government is working on introducing a bill. I appeal to students to end their agitation. Let us sit together and discuss how we can approach the Centre for safeguarding interest of the indigenous people,” Biren said while responding to a question raised by Congress member R. K. Imo Singh.

Imo expressed serious concern on population influx and also pointed out the ongoing agitation by students demanding constitutional safeguard of the indigenous people and barring of outsiders from contesting elections.

Biren said it is a serious issue in the whole of Northeast, which shares border with Bangladesh and Myanmar while the problem is more acute in Tripura.

Stating that foreigners entered from Bangladesh in Assam and Tripura Biren said efforts are on to check entry by foreigners under foreigners’ act 1968.

Three foreigner check posts have been opened at Moreh, Jiribam and Mao. The government is considering opening one more check post each in Churachandpur and Jiribam. He said foreigners even entered Manipur by flight and therefore the vigil at he airport is strengthened.

Replying to another question raised by Congress member K. Meghachandra Singh on present status of the three bills passed by the state Assembly in 2015 the chief minister said Protection of Manipur People Bill was withheld by the President.

“We cannot work on the bill hastily as the bill should protect interest of all the people in the state. We need to discuss with all groups of people. First we will consult all the stakeholders and will try to introduce the bill as soon as possible,” he said.

Meghachandra urged the chief minister to take up the issue of the other two bills – Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (Seventh Amendment) Bill and Manipur Shops and Establishments (Second Amendment) Bill so that the President’s assent is given to the two bills.

He further urged the chief minister to introduce the bill without further delay.