IMPHAL : The ongoing 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly formed a house committee consisting of all community representatives and opposition parties to enquire about illegal immigrants.

In a significant development, under the Rule of Procedure and Conduct of Business number 305 (a) of the Manipur Legislative Assembly, a house committee for the investigation of illegal immigrants was formed today.

Announcing on the floor of the house, the speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly, Th Satyabrata Singh said that as the house had resolved the formation of a house committee in connection with the illegal immigrants issue, a committee named as “A house committee to enquire into the influx of illegal immigrants and unnatural growth of new village in the state of Manipur”  is formed.

He continued and further said that the committee comprises 12 members chaired by Minister Awangbou Newmai and the tenure of the committee is three months. The committee has to submit the report of their enquiry and finding within three months.

Other members of the committee are Minister Letpao Haokip; minister, L Sushindro; Minister Th Basantakumar; MLA, Dinganglung Gangmei; MLA, Keisham Meghachandra; MLA, Md Abdul Nasir; MLA, Leishiyo Keishing, MLA, Kh Ibomcha and MLA Th Shanti, he added.

It may be mentioned that the formation of house committee was proposed by chief minister, N Biren Singh yesterday on the floor of house while responding the calling attention motion moved by MLA of Phungyar Constituency, Leishiyo Keishing.

Leishiyo being a representative from the constituency with the highest number of illegal immigrants had highlighted the ramifications of the constant influx of illegal immigrants.

The problem of illegal immigrants is a matter of national issue as it poses threat to national security. The increase of illegal immigrants will lead to an increase organise crime and impact to income of local resident as available job has to share between local and illegal immigrants.

Leishiyo also claimed that the state might have more than estimated data of illegal immigrants provided by state government.

“There is no specific mechanism or policy to check the illegal immigrants. The number of illegal immigrants over 10,000 provided by government could be rough data. The state will surely have more than this,” he stated while questioning the reason of having lesser number of illegal immigrants in the district such as Churachandpur, Chandel and Tengnoupal-the region that lies in border area of Myanmar. He pointed out that Kamjong, the district which he longed alone have detected 6,199 illegal immigrants. 

Leishiyo Keishing pointed out that illegal immigrants keep on coming and going from bordering areas and mixing with local populations. As such actual figure of immigrants cannot be ascertained even in his district despite the fact that 6,199 were detected in camps in Kamjong through biometric registration. 

He highlighted the complications in calling them refugees as India is not a signatory to the refugee convention and lacks specific laws governing their status.

Leishiyo acknowledged the need to provide basic rights to illegal immigrants, he that the state should deport them if the state is unable to manage them properly.

He suggested framing a comprehensive realistic policy for the management of entry of illegal immigrants, and open exclusive designated camp for illegal immigrants in a place far from local resident. The illegal immigrants should stop loitering around. 

Responding to this, Chief Minister Biren Singh said that state although the state is facing the grave impact of illegal immigrants causing demographic imbalance but around 40 per cent of the people of state are still not realising this issue. It seems even some MLAs are still not admitting the issue. As such there is a need to form a committee of the Manipur Legislative Assembly to investigate the matter of illegal immigrants.

CM Biren Singh stated, “A Cabinet sub-committee, chaired by minister TA and Hills Letpao Haokip with ministers Awangboi Newmai and Basanta Kumar was formed to investigate the matter, with bureaucrats also involved.

The Home Ministry has declared this as a serious issue, leading to the initiation of biometric registrations. Initially, 2,480 individuals were detected. However, monitoring and controlling the immigrants, especially those settling in villages, remains difficult, as members faced resistance in certain areas.”

The detected immigrants are currently kept in shelter homes in Sajiwa, based on humanitarian grounds. They will be deported when the situation improves., he added.

He also said that the long border poses a threat, and new villages have been settled even after May 3. The base year for identification is set at 1961. Anyone settling after the given year should be identified. Each district, including one SDPO, has teams to conduct biometrics and provide shelter.