Indigenous People’s Association of Kangleipak Manipur has claimed that United People’s Forum (UPF) a forum of Bengali community in Jiribam district submitted a memorandum to Naga National Political Groups (NNPG) for the inclusion of Jiribam under Naga National territorial Council.
Drawing the attention of the state in the matter, IPAK sought for clarification as to how the Bengalis were given citizenship. IPAK also demanded that the state government should also take up necessary steps to identify Bengali residing in Jiribam district under Foreigners Act and ILPs.
A statement issued by IPAK’s secretary general Leishangthem Romen Meetei on Wednesday asserted that the UPF memorandum also claimed Bengali in Jiribam as indigenous people. In the memorandum the UPF also sought support from the NNPG to help get the Bengali Muslims minority status and schedule caste to Bengali Hindus in the district.
IPAK also sought clarification from the deputy commissioner Imphal east and Jiribam on what basis the Bengalis were included in the electoral roll and how they were allotted land.
The deputy commissioner of Imphal east before the creation of Jiribam district could have been involved in allotting lands illegally for settlement of the Bengalis in Jiribam, It alleged.
“If the government fails to take necessary measures to check the influx there will be a time when the non-locals in the district will drive out the indigenous people from the district”, cautioned IPAK.
Accusing the UPF Senapur of distorting Manipur’s history, IPAK called on the people of the State to ban the UPF Senapur Jiribam and any of its offices in the Manipur.