Agenda of the BJP led Government in Manipur
- Part 7 -

Dr. Khomdon Lisam *

2.5. The small land area in the valley and Moreh is always open to sale to outsiders threatening the very existence of the Manipuri people. With the arrival of Railways and Act East Policy, the future of Meiteis and hill people of Manipur will be in jeopardy.

By virtue of this Article371C, the hill people think that they can heap all the blames of their wrong doings on Meiteis although they are not inferior to Meiteis. They want to give the impression to the world that the land belonged to their ancestors although the land belonged to the kings during monarchy and to the State government after monarchy.

According to Supreme Court and Indian Constitution, the land belongs to the State. The earth is more than 1 billion years old and every community inherited their land from their ancestors. There is no separate land for Meiteis, Nagas or Kukis.

3. Lifting of Armed Forces Special Power Act-1958 from Manipur to protect the Human Rights of the people of Manipur and to prevent unnecessary deaths of young people of Manipur. Manipur has nothing to do with repeal of the Act.

4. All the issues under the Union List and Concurrent List of the Indian Constitution pertaining to Manipur shall be taken up by the Government of India only with the prior recommendation of the Manipur State Legislative Assembly.

5. Need for declaring the whole of Manipur State as a Hill State – The Government of India is dividing Manipur into Hill and valley although 90% of Manipur is Hill and hardly 10% is valley. There are many hillocks in the valley and there are many valley areas in the Hills. The policy of Government of India for dividing Manipur into Hill and Valley and for dividing the same people with common ancestors into Tribal and General led to ethnic conflict , Hill-Valley divide , communal disharmony. Hence, the whole state of Manipur may be declared as a Hill State.

6. Need for extension of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation -1973 (Inner Line Permit System) with appropriate amendments to regulate the entry of outsiders from other states of India to Manipur on payment of Entry fees and Landing fees to protect the identity, culture, traditions, land, language, script, mineral resources of the Manipuris and to prevent population imbalance and extinction of Manipuri as happened in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. If the Government of India is not willing to extend the said regulation, then the Manipur State Government may be allowed to pass an appropriate Regulation or Act to regulate the entry of outsiders from other states of India to Manipur.

7. Need for restoration of Schedule Tribe Status of Meiteis. The Meiteis, which constitute 53% of total population of Manipur has no constitutional protection under the Constitution of India whereas there are more than 20 articles under the Indian Constitution for protection of Schedule Tribes. Hence the provisions of the Article 371C of Indian Constitution needs immediate amendments.

The Scheduled Tribe status of Meiteis, which was recorded in Government of India Election /Census documents in 1931 should be restored under Article 342 of the Indian Constitution to restore equality , to bring equality ,unity, solidarity and peace among the various tribes of Manipur. Enlisting the Meiteis as Scheduled Tribe under Article 342 of the Indian Constitution is the birth right of the Meitei.

8. A single and uniform Land Laws for all the ethnic groups in Manipur may be provided under the Indian Constitution and by amendment of the Land Revenue and Land ReformsAct-1960. The land belongs to the king during monarchy and after merger to India to the State Government. Persons from other states of India will be allowed to purchase lands in Manipur only with the approval of the State Government to protect the indigenous people of Manipur. An unified land law is a precondition of a unified nation state. The Government has the ultimate power over land.

9. Need to increase of the strength of the Manipur Legislative Assembly from 60 to 80.

The present strength of 60 members of the Manipur Legislative Assembly granted in 1972 can not fulfil the aspirations of various ethnic groups particularly the Meiteis, Nagas, Kukis, Meitei Pangans and smaller tribal groups. The Manipur Legislative Assembly needs delimitation considering the increase in population and aspirations of the various ethnic groups and political parties. Hence the Government of India may consider grant of at least 80 MLAs for the Manipur Legislative Assembly.

10. Need for establishment of an Upper house (Legislative Council or Vidhan Parishad) for Manipur.

Manipur requires an Upper house (Legislative Council or Vidhan Parishad),which must be a permanent body. This body cannot be dissolved and serves for a six-year term. The following seven states have Vidhan Parisads in India-Uttar Pradesh (size-403 + 100), Maharashtra(size-288 + 78), Bihar (243 + 75), Karnataka (224 + 75), Andhra Pradesh (175 + 50), Telangana (119 + 40), Jammu and Kashmir (87 + 36), The Union Cabinet of India has cleared the State of Assam to form a Legislative Council on 28 November 2013.

The Constitution of India may provide for establishment of an Upper House ( State Legislative Council) for Manipur with a minimum of 50 members with provision for 10 nominated members and nomination and 30% reservation for women. All the ethnic groups should be represented in the Manipur Legislative Council .

11. Manipur's Representation in Lok Sabha

The number of Lok Sabha MPs for Manipur is not viable. The number of Lok Sabha seats for Manipur is only two whereas for UP, it is 80, Bihar-40, Maharastra-48,West Bengal-42, Tamil Nadu-39, Madhya Pradesh-29, Krnataka-28, Assam-14. No MP from Manipur will be able to become the Prime Minister or President even if he is Lord Krishna or Jesus Christ or prophet Muhammad.

We find that for a small population hardly two lakhs of Anglo-Indians, Pandit Nehru had put the number of Lok Sabha MPs as two in 1950. Considering the Indian Constitution, no Manipuri can become the Prime Minster of India in the next 500 years. No Manipuri MP had initiated amendment of Indian Constitution in the last 66 years. The number of Lok Sabha MPs for Manipur may be a least six Even if it is done, no Manipuri can become the Prime Minister of India for another 500 years.

12. Manipur's Representation in Rajya Sabha ( Council of States )

The Rajya Sabha is the Council of States where States are represented in parliament . Each state whether large or small should have equal representatives in the Rajya Sabha. There is no balanced representation of states in the Rajya Sabha. Manipur has only one Rajya Sabha MP whereas Uttar Pradesh has 31, Maharastra-19,Tamil Nadu-18, West Bengal -16, Bihar16. Manipur has only one Rajya Sabha MP whereas Uttar Pradesh has 31, Maharastra-19,Tamil Nadu-18, West Bengal -16, Bihar16. There should be balanced and equal representation of States-big or small as done in many democratic countries of the world including USA. The number of Rajya Sabha MPs for Manipur should be eight.

The procedure for constitutional amendment is very lengthy and complicated. Further, the other bigger states with a large number of MPs may not be quite conversant with the problems and issues of Manipur state for whom the bill is introduced in the Parliament. Hence the risk of failure to convert the bill into an Act is very great. The other option is to demand for Restoration of Pre-Merger Political Status of Manipur

If the Government of India is not ready to initiate for grant of comprehensive constitutional amendment, then all the political parties, the civil societies can start a mass movement for Restoration of Pre-Merger Political Status of Manipur. This will require a strong leadership with great skill in human relation, advocacy and lobbying.

Restoration of Pre-Merger Political Status of Manipur

o Considering the proud history of Manipur as a Sovereign Kingdom for more than 3394 years , ( from 1445 BCE to 1947 CE )

o Recognising the series of blunders the Government of India has committed against Manipur during the last 69 years starting from signing of the forced Merger Agreement signed on 21 September,1949

o Recognising the various demands of the ethnic groups, the the people of Manipur demand for grant of"RESTORATION OF PRE-MERGER POLITICAL STATUS OF MANIPUR" without further delay.

Since the Government of India is planning to grant SHARED SOVEREIGNTY to Nagaland, there is nothing unconstitutional or nothing illegal about it. The idea and the contents of Shared Sovereignty of the Nagas demanded by the NSCN-IM is the same with the Instrument of Accession which Maharaja Bodhchandra signed on 11 August, 1947 and accepted by Louis Mountbatten ,Gvernor General of India on 16 August,1947.Any thoughtless action by the Government of India may bring unexpected consequences for which Government of India will be held responsible.

The RESTORATION OF PRE-MERGER POLITICAL STATUS OF MANIPUR may consist of the following components :-

(1). Separate constitution for Manipur based on Democracy to be prepared by representatives of all ethnic groups in Manipur. The State of Jammu and Kashmir has a separate constitution since 1954 and the Government of India is planning to grant a separate constitution to Nagaland.

(2) Separate Parliament including both Lower house and Upper House

(3).Separate Prime Minister

(4). Separate President

(5). Separate Flag (Malem Puba Paphal flag – Pakhangba flag)

(6).Separate Supreme Court

(7). .Separate Passport and Visa system for Manipur

(8). Separate Administrative System

(9). Separate Legal System

(10). Separate Service Cadres for Manipur at par with Indian Administrative Service, Indian Police service, Indian Foreign Service etc.

(11). Separate Currency at par with Indian Rupees

(12). Separate representatives to the United Nations Organisation

(13) Separate Embassies in Countries of our own choice

(14) Separate representation of Sports team in international events and Olympics

(15) Joint Defence

(16) Joint External Affaires

(17) Joint Communication

(18) Separate and special Central grant –in-aid and budget from the Government of India.

(19) Right to conclude commercial Business and Trading Agreements with foreign countries.

Manipur will remain as a part of India with shared Sovereignty. Without restoration of PRE-MERGER POLITICAL STATUS OF MANIPUR, fulfilment of any other demands will be meaningless. All the ethnic groups will participate at the Constitution making process and we (Manipuris) will have our own constitution and our own nation with all the ethnic groups living in harmony and in peace to together and compete with the best brains of the world.

Concluded...