ADC Bill : K Leishiyo goes on the offensive

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Dec 9 : Phungyar AC MLA K Leishiyo has categorically stated that The Manipur (Hill Areas) ADC Bill 2021 recommended   by the Hill Area Committee (HAC) should only be discussed at the State Assembly and not otherwise.
Addressing an inauguration ceremony of a football ground at Kharam Khullen under Phungyar AC, the MLA, who also is a Chairman of HAC, continued that discussing the Bill at community halls, playgrounds or any public spaces by the people is not appropriate.
K Leishiyo claimed that there are no points in the said Bill that could  disintegrate Manipur and asked if there is a question of disintegrations in other North East States where Autonomous District Councils exist.
Giving more power to local self government would never bifurcate the State, the MLA said and claimed that the  local self government has been authorized to enact law/Act for managing forest areas in hill districts.
Claiming that forest areas in certain States are being managed by their respective ADCs under a certain Act , K Leishiyo asserted that the same  is not the case in Manipur.
Continuing that customary laws, however, are still prevalent in forest areas of Manipur, the MLA maintained that non allotment of land in hill districts often trigger argument among the hill dwellers even today.
The  Village Authority Act enacted in 1956 is no longer valid, the MLA said.
Continuing that jhum cultivation is widely practiced in hill districts, K Leishiyo maintained that regulation of jhum cultivation and promotion of horticulture and agriculture were incorporated in the ADC Bill which was recommended to the State Assembly.
Non-tabbing of the ADC Bill at the Assembly is a testament of the failure of the system, K Leishiyo claimed.
Further claiming that every power seems to have been centralized to one person at the present, the MLA claimed that local self government exists only in name sake.
The case is similar in Manipur as all power lies at Imphal, he claimed.
"Through politics, we have to roll  out good policies and every politician should indulge in ideology driven politics," the MLA said  and added that that no politicians and political parties, however, engage in ideology driven politics in contemporary society.
"It is normal for the politicians  who don't have any ideology to be  dutiful to whoever above them," he said and added that he is not aware of which ideology people are doing politics here.
Claiming that certain legislators are busy going to the airport to welcome National leaders, the MLA claimed that the majority of legislators don't even think about making Manipur self-sufficient.
In the name of development, these politicians are surrendering their rights, he claimed and asked  which politicians have rolled  out any initiatives to make Manipur a  self-sufficient State.