Th. Chaoba Singh

Imphal, July 31: The Manipur unit of the BJP today demanded a legislation to regulate entry of outsiders and identification of foreigners staying in the state.

Expressing full support to the ongoing campaign for introduction of inner-line permit (ILP) system in Manipur BJP president Thounaojam Chaoba Singh demanded that the Okram Ibobi Singh government take a clear stand on the issue.

The demand for the legislation came at a time when a public movement spearheaded by Joint Committee on ILP in Manipur, a citizen body, has been threatening to launch an agitation in the state.

Daily sit-ins are held in the valley to express support to the demand for ILP.

The BJP’s demand came despite an assurance by chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh on the floor of the House during the just-concluded Assembly session to convene an all-party meeting on the issue and head a political delegation to Delhi to press for implementation of the Assembly resolutions.

The Assembly adopted two resolutions, the first in July 2012 and the second in June last year, to urge the Centre to implement ILP in Manipur. Stating that his government was committed to ILP, the chief minister maintained that the Centre had not responded to the two House resolutions.

The BJP president alleged that the Ibobi Singh government had failed to take a “clear and firm stand” on ILP.

“The government should identify foreigners staying in Manipur and enact a legislation to regulate entry of outsiders (people from other states of India) to Manipur. The government should also bring out a white paper on number of foreigners and outsiders residing in Manipur,” Chaoba Singh said.

Stating that foreigners from Myanmar, Bangladesh and Nepal are entering Manipur freely and staying here by posing as Indian nationals, Chaoba Singh demanded setting up of security checkgates at Jiribam (the entry point from Assam), Moreh (the border township) and Mao (the entry point from Nagaland).

Chaoba Singh also demanded that the follow-up action of the state government after the two House resolutions and the response of the Centre be made public.

The state BJP wants Ibobi Singh to convene a joint meeting of all political parties, legal experts, student and woman groups and citizen organisations to take a firm stand on the issue and mount pressure on the Centre on the ILP.

Chaoba Singh said though the BJP was in power at the Centre, the party alone could not pass a resolution in Parliament.

He urged other parties in Manipur to mobilise support from MPs of their respective parties on the issue.