There were widespread protests in all the four districts of Manipur on Wednesday demanding the reintroduction of the Inner Liner Permit system in the state. It is significant to note that tribals in the five hill districts have not joined the campaign. There is a constitutional provision which says that non-tribals cannot own land and settle permanently in these tribal dominated districts.
Four students' organisations, All Manipur Students' Union, Kangleipak Students' Association, Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur and Manipur Students' Federation which are components of the students' wing of the Joint Action Committee on ILP System organised a massive rally at Yairipok in Thoubal district on Wednesday. There was no untoward incident since police stayed away at a safe distance.
The Manipur council of CPI also staged a sit in protest in front of the Imphal office on Wednesday demanding the reintroduction of the ILP system. The protest shall continue for three days, according to party sources.
There were rallies and sit in protests in the Imphal East and Imphal West districts. Huge number of women activists participated in the rallies and sit in protests at Checkkon, New Checkkon, Khurai, Lamlong. Besides there were such protests at Jiribam bordering Assam.
At last the Muslims have also joined the campaign. The Pangal Students' Organisation says that it supports the demand for the reintroduction of the ILP system. However the people as a whole are yet to participate in a big way in the Muslim villages.
Though the Manipur government has written a letter to the union government on the issue the national leaders maintain that the ILP system shall not be reintroduced in Manipur. It has been in force in three north-eastern states all these decades.
