ILP: Manipur government shuts schools, colleges

IMPHAL: To counter the growing clamour among students for the implementation of Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Manipur, the state government on Friday directed all schools and colleges in Imphal valley to remain closed till Monday. The monsoon session of the assembly will end on Monday.
The state government issued an order on Thursday and directed all government, aided and private schools and colleges located in Imphal East and Imphal West to remain closed on Friday, Saturday and Monday.The order asked all headmasters and principals to ensure strict compliance with the directive. The police department has been asked to make the necessary security arrangements to safeguard the property of all educational institutions.
The ILP, which restricts the entry and residence of "outsiders" in the state, is currently enforced by three northeastern states: Nagaland, Arunachal and Mizoram. It was withdrawn from Manipur in November 1950. In July last year, the state assembly resolved to extend and adopt the Eastern Bengal Frontier Regulation, 1873, a statute under which the ILP system would be enforced, and to urge the Centre for its implementation in the state. The Centre, however, declined to implement it.
Various civil and human rights bodies, as well as Manipur's opposition parties, expressed strong opposition to the government's move of shutting schools and colleges. This, they felt, would further anger students, who are demanding implementation of ILP in the state in a democratic manner. The bodies condemned police for taking action against the agitating students.
Under the aegis of Joint Coordination on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS)'s students' wing, youngsters belonging to different educational institutions have been protesting in the valley districts for the last few days. A conglomeration of several civil organizations of the state, JCILPS has been spearheading the protracted pro-ILP campaign, which, it said, will save the identity, culture and tradition of the indigenous Manipuri people.
Many students, including girls, were injured in police action when they attempted to storm the Manipur assembly on Thursday. Besides firing tear-gas shells, mock bombs and rubber bullets, police resorted to lathicharge as well.
Protesting against the closure of educational institutions and police brutality, members of various civil organizations staged a silent demonstration at Keihsmapat in Imphal on Friday. Joining the tirade, women vendors of Khwairamband market staged a rally along the Bir Tikendrajit road here, but police blocked their path. "Since the state assembly twice passed resolutions to adopt ILP, it must ask the Centre to implement it, instead of suppressing the students," said CPI leader M Nara Singh.