IMPHAL, July 29: Asking the government to immediately cease indulging in double standard, the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) has accused the Drafting Committee constituted by the government of misleading the people by making false promises that a draft bill to monitor the alarming influx of outsiders into the state will be produced within three days.
In a statement signed by assistant media co-ordinator of JCILPS, the committee alleged that the government has been dishonest when it comes to the proposed bill, which is evident from the fact that suggestions have been sought from the public on the proposed drafting bill which should be acceptable to the people.
By passing the controversial Manipur Regulation of Visitors, Tenants and Migrant Workers Bill, 2015 instead of the draft bill recommended by the all political parties, it has been proved that the government is working according to its whims, sidelining wishes of the people. The present public outrage over the enactment of a fresh bill is due to the apparent failure of the government to work according to pulse of the people, it said.
Stating that the committee has lost faith in the government, the statement said the government could win hearts of the people only after the five points recommended by the committee are included in the proposed bill.
The government should regard and accommodate the resolutions adopted during the recent public convention on ILP in the proposed bill, it demanded, asking to suspend those police personnel involved in the killing of Sapam Robinhood instead of protecting them.
Further charging the government of violating Right to Education Act by closing down all the educational institutions since July 9 in fear of reprisal from the student community following the death of Robinhood, the statement made it clear the ongoing mass movement for enactment of an acceptable cannot be suppressed by shutting down the educational institutions.
It then clarified that the committee has not been formally informed by the government about the progress on the proposed bill.
Announcing that the committee will launch civil disobedience movement to teach the inefficient government a fitting lesson, it appealed to the people to continue with different forms of agitation including sit-in-protest, road-block, mass rally etc till a fresh bill acceptable to all sections of the people is passed by the government.
The JCILPS in the statement also cautioned the government not to try to suppress the ongoing mass movement by using excessive power and deploying state forces as unwanted incidents may crop up thereafter.
Maintaining that the ongoing mass movement is for the sake of securing identity of the present and future generation, the committee appealed to protestors to not cause disturbance and damage to vehicles belonging to electricity, ambulance, water supply, media, medical and religious service during the agitations.
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/07/jcilps-on-course-to-launch-civil-disobedience-movement/