IMPHAL, June 7: At least 19 volunteers of ‘ILP system students\u2019 section\u2019 were detained by Manipur Police in connection with the agitation against entering of non-locals (people from mainland India) into the state on Friday.
\nThey were picked by the police from their own offices here. A Thoithoi, secretary, Democratic Students\u2019 Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) and its deputy organization secretary, and Nishi, president, National Identity Protection Committee (NIPCO) and its advisor, and Jayenta, president, Students’ Union of Kangleipak (SUK) and its general secretary, publicity secretary, and several leaders of All Manipur students\u2019 Union (AMSU) were among them.
\nSources said a team of police also conducted searches at the offices of Kangleipak Students\u2019 Association and AKOM LUP, but no one was detained during the hunt.
\nThe police team led by Inspector John (Commando) and Deputy Superintendent of Police Ibomcha, Imphal West District Police raided all the offices of these student organizations including that of NIPCO and picked them up, the sources added.
\nThe agitating student volunteers were detained after they started agitation against entering of non-locals into the state. The agitation is being spearheaded by the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) which has been demanding introduction of inner Line Permit system in Manipur.
\nOn June 5, 40 non-locals coming to Manipur were sent back from Sekmai in Imphal West district by volunteers of several student organisations as part of the agitation by JCILPS preventing non-locals from entering the state.
\nFollowing the failure of the state and central Governments to announce a clear stance on the Inner Line Permit issue, the JCILPS had announced to disallow entry of non-locals to the state from June 1-5.
\nVolunteers of ILP system students\u2019 from student bodies like AMSU, DESAM and KSA including volunteers from Sekmai Protection Committee conducted checking on every vehicles moving toward Imphal from Dimapur side as part of the agitation by JCILPS and forced 40 non-locals to return to their places on June 5.
\nWith the dateline of the ultimatum given to Manipur Government to clear its stance on introduction of Inner Line Permit system in the state was ending, JCILPS had on May 30 decided to go on with its earlier decision to stop visiting of non-locals to the state from June 1-5 and disallow outsiders to enter into the lanes and localities of the state from June 6-10.
\nRepresentatives of Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System met the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary and other Cabinet ministers on May 20 during which it had discussed seriously about the ultimatum served to the Government regarding its stance on implementation of ILP system in the state.
\nJadumani, convenor, JCILPS had lashed out at the Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh for allegedly being double standard and accused the Congress Government of ignoring the resolution of the state assembly with regard to introduction of the ILP system under Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulations, 1873.<\/p>\n\n