There should be no delay in framing law to save indigenous people: Nongyai
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, August 20 2014:
'The State Government must not delay in framing a restrictive law to check the influx of non-locals into Manipur as the population of majority community Meitei is dwindling day by day from the year 1951', stated Ng.
Nongyai, former member of Manipur Human Rights Commission.
In an exclusive interview with Hueiyen Lanpao, Ng.
Nongyai said since Manipur became a part of India from 15 October 1949, the indigenous population of Meiteis has been decreasing incessantly.
The Meitei Population in 1951 was 5,77,635, and it stands as 28,55,794 as per the census of 2011, he stated.
One third of the total population of Manipur which is estimated to be about 9,43,052 is composed of non-locals who have come from outside the state or the country, he explained, while adding that in 2014, the total population of Meiteis stands as 90,94,310 indicating that Meiteis have become minority in their own land due to demographic imbalance.
The increasing numbers of outsiders surpassing the indigenous population of Manipur has severely affected the political, economic, cultural and religious life of the indigenous people of the state, he asserted.
Following the public movement for a restrictive law against influx of outsiders, the State Assembly has taken resolutions for re-introduction of Inner Line Permit system in the State on two occasions.
While lauding the joint effort of all political parties for a solution to the ongoing issue, Nongyai expressed his opinion that it should not be delayed in executing the plans.
He recalled that AMSU had earlier made agreements with the state government on two occasions in 1980 and 1993 for identifying the presence of outsiders in the state and their return to their respective native states.
In the agreements, the base year for identification of outsiders was fixed as 1961, he noted.
Had the government materialized the points of agreement signed with the AMSU, the present issue might not happen, he contended.
In 2010, the state human rights commission had also recommended framing of a law to save the indigenous population of Manipur, and for upholding the UN resolutions on indigenous population of 1992 and 1994, Nongyai recounted.