IMPHAL, Aug 31 - Manipur Assembly on Monday passed three Bills to protect the indigenous people of the State.
The three Bills introduced on the first day of the emergency session of the Assembly on Friday, and passed today without a debate are Protection of Manipur Peoples Bill 2015, Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (Seventh Amendment) Bill 2015 and Manipur Shop and Establishments (Second Amendment) Bill 2015.
There have been widespread agitations spearheaded by Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS), a conglomerate of 40 civil society organisations since early July, demanding the enforcement of ILP in Manipur to regulate influx of outsiders into the State.
Kuki Students� Organisation, All Naga Students� Association Manipur and All Tribal Students Union Manipur jointly called a 12-hour bandh from 6 am today in all hill districts of the State in protest against the introduction of the Bill. They alleged that the Bills have overlapped Article 371C and Manipur Hill People Administration Regulation Act, 1947 and added it will directly or indirectly affect the tribal interest.
Meanwhile, the Manipur Assembly while welcoming the fresh initiative of the Government of India to bring peace in the North East, has urged the Centre to ensure that the �Peace accord� of August 3 signed with NSCN (IM) and any subsequent agreement do not impinge on the territorial integrity and administration of the State of Manipur.
The Assembly passed a resolution in this regard after Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh moved a private member resolution on Monday.
The House further resolved to urge the Centre to ensure that all stakeholders, especially Manipur, are brought into confidence and transparency is brought into the peace process and no fresh discords should be brought while attempting to settle an existing one.
The House also resolved �to urge the Union Government to amend Article 3 of the Constitution of India by incorporating that prior consent of the State Legislature of the affected State(s) shall be mandatory while forming new States, and alteration of areas, boundaries or name of existing States.�
