Biren Singh: People who arrived in Manipur after 1961 will be deported

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh has said that his government will identify and deport people who arrived and settled in the state after 1961 irrespective of their caste or community.

A Times of India report said that the chief minister reportedly made the announcement while speaking at the launch of a skill development programme in Imphal on Monday (February 12). The apparent move is being seen as the BJP government’s bid to protect ethnic tribes in the north-eastern state which has been witnessing extreme episodes of violence since May 2023.

In his address, Singh said that 1961 will be treated as the base year for Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Manipur. ILP, which bars the entry of people who are not natives of Manipur into the state, was enforced during the British era under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation. It was withdrawn in 1950 only to be re-imposed in the state in December 2019 following protests by locals.

Even though the state cabinet in June 2022 decided to mark 1961 as the base year for ILP, the decision invited massive protests from residents and political parties who asserted that 1951 be considered as the base year instead.

‘Troubled times’

Referring to the spate of violence that the restive state has seen in the past few months, Singh said the current situation was a battle for survival and identity.

“We are passing through troubled times. The crisis we are facing today is one of struggle for existence, survival, and identity. The properties and identity, inherited over centuries, have now become insecure due to the lack of vision of certain politicians. Our generation is insecure today, so the government is working to make your future secure,” he said.

Singh also highlighted Union Home Minister Amit Shah's post on social media regarding the cancellation of the India-Myanmar Free Movement Regime (FMR), underscoring its importance in addressing internal security and demographic challenges.

He stressed that the government's actions, including fencing and the cancellation of FMR, aim to ensure a safe and secure future, thereby putting an end to widespread illegal immigration and activities like drug smuggling and arms trafficking.

“The insecurity we have today will not be faced by the generations to come. That is why we are bearing all the criticisms,” Singh added.