Manipur: Civil society organisations oppose ADC Bill, submit memorandum to CM and opposition
As many as eight civil society organisations (CSOs), in a public discussion held on Sunday, have decided to collectively oppose the Manipur (Hill Areas) Autonomous District Councils Bill 2021 (ADC).
Representatives of the CSOs - IPSA, ACOAM Lup, PANDM, IPAK, KANGLAMEI, KIL, CLK, and KSA - also submitted a memorandum highlighting the resolution and recommendation of a discourse on the Bill to Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and the opposition leader, O. Ibobi Singh.
The organisations said that they oppose the Bill from tabling in the ongoing assembly session without prior consultation with all the stakeholders of the state. During the discourse, they also adopted several resolutions.
In one of the resolutions, they alleged that the Bill contains maximum provisions and objectives of the contentious Naga Autonomous Territorial Council and Kuki Autonomous Territorial Council, which the Manipuri people have been opposing.
They also asserted that the salient features of the Bill are similar to all the provisions of the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution which is not acceptable to the majority of the population in the state.
They have further appealed to all hill leaders and CSOs to come forward for a transparent discussion and analysis of the contents of the said Bill and cooperate in working out an amicable solution to make an inclusive and judicious Bill acceptable to all stakeholders of the state.
The All Tribal Students' Union Manipur (ATSUM), on the other hand, holds different views about the Bill and claims that it is for the welfare of tribal people and to bring "equal development" in the hill districts of the state. ATSUM had called for a 24-hour bandh in the hill districts of Manipur from Sunday midnight as a protest against the government's failure to table the Bill in the ongoing monsoon session of the state assembly.
(Edited by Aparmita Das)
TNT-The Northeast Today is now on WhatsApp: CLICK HERE to receive more updates on your phone.
