Imphal: Manipur Home Minister Gaikhangam on Saturday appealed the JACILPS to withdraw its agitation to press for implementation of Inner Line Permit system for restricting entry into the state and said the matter has been taken up with the Centre.
The Joint Action Committee on Inner Line Permit system (JACILPS) had earlier said that it would prevent entry of non-Manipuris in the state for five days from today as outsiders has already outnumbered the total population of tribes in the state particularly the hill districts.
Talking to media here, Gaikhangam, who is also Deputy Chief Minister, said the police cannot remain silent and action would be taken if the Committee went ahead with its agitation.
He said the state assembly had passed a resolution for implementation of the inner line permit system and the matter had been referred to the central government.
Sources in JACILPS claimed that the state government was not serious over implementing the inner line permit system in the state.
They said JACILPS was not against any outsider coming to the state for work but there must be a system to restrict the inflow of outsiders otherwise indigenous people would be outnumbered in the next ten years.
Official sources said steps were being taken to protect the identities of the indigenous people and the state government was pursuing the matter with the central government.
Official reports from the districts said steps have been taken to foil any attempt by JACILPS to prevent entry of any bonafide citizen in the country.
Police posts at all entry points including Mao (Manipur and Nagaland) and Jiribam (Manipur and Assam) have also been put on alert, reports said. (PTI)
