Representatives of All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM) led by its president M Luikang Luckson and six others called on Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey at Raj Bhavan on Thursday.
During the meeting, the team submitted a memorandum to the Union Home Minister through the Governor demanding reversal of the decision to scrap the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and reinstate the same in Naga areas along the Indo-Myanmar border, stated a release.
The team lauded the reintroduction of FMR allowing the tribal living along the border to travel up to 16 km on either side of the country without a visa during 2018 under Modi-led BJP regime and said that it has alleviated hardship and enhanced the livelihood of the people residing along the borders, it said. But the decision to scrap FMR has shocked the people along the border, it lamented.
ALSO READ: ANSAM against scrapping of Free Movement Regime
Suggesting a mechanism to curb the menace of illegal immigrants and insurgency, the team asserted that strict implementation of ILP and NRC and constitution of Population Commission will yield good results rather than border fencing and scrapping of FMR, it stated.
It also expressed concern about the ongoing unrest in the state which is also affecting the Naga people and urged the Centre and the state governments to solve the issue at the earliest.
The Governor responded that the issues of illegal immigrants and insurgency have been discussed in the NEC meeting held recently in Shillong and said that the Centre is taking it seriously, the release said. She also assured to forward their proposal to the Union Home Minister and hold talks with him, it added.
Meanwhile, another team led by president of Joint Administrative Council of All Manipur Trade Union Council (AMTUC) and All Manipur Government Employees Organisation (AMGEO), Rajkumar Basumani Singh also called on Governor Anusuiya Uikey and demanded timely disbursement of salaries and pensions to the employees and pensioners of the state, it said.
The team highlighted the issues of irregular and untimely payment of salaries/pensions in the state affecting the state government employees and pensioners, it mentioned. It further said that pension benefits to the retired employees have not been disbursed in time. It also pointed out that the DA enjoyed by the state employees is 16 lower than the central government employees.
Governor Uikey listened to their concerns and said that she has already asked the government to take necessary steps in this regard and also assured to take up measures to ensure timely payment of salaries and pensions, it stated. There may be some issues due to the situation in the State, but it has to be improved, she stated.
ALSO READ: FOCS calls for scraping FMR
