The Deputy Chief Minister( Home) Y Patton and others during a meeting held with civil society organisations to deliberate on ‘Illegal immigrants issue’ on September 9 at Rhododendron Hall, Police Complex, Chümoukedima. (Morung Photo)
Strong pitch for ILP enforcement from CSOs
Morung Express News
Dimapur | September 9
The Deputy Chief Minister, Y Patton chaired a meeting with civil society organisations from Dimapur, Niuland and Chümoukedima on September 9. The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) and Dimapur Naga Students’ Union (DNSU) were also present.
The meeting was held at the Nagaland Police Complex in Chümoukedima, and as stated in the meeting notice issued by the Home Department, it was to “discuss matters regarding illegal immigrants.” The Nagaland Police chief and bureaucrats from the Home Department were in attendance.
Going by Patton’s word, the meeting was prompted by a video of passengers, assumed to be illegal immigrants, disembarking from a train at the Dimapur railway station reportedly on September 2. Back dropped by the recent turmoil in Bangladesh, the video induced fears of an immigrant influx, and the associated racial profiling.
The day after, the Dimapur Police Commissionerate reacted, to what was perceived to be public outpouring of fear, by checking IDs at the train station.
According to Patton, during the check, over three days, some 360 travellers were screened and the destinations they were bound for verified. He said that the screened travellers were largely found to be bound for places in neighbouring Karbi Anglong, Assam. Some were found to be state residents and some visiting relatives, while some were farm labourers working in Niuland and Chümoukedima.
Meanwhile, he informed that checking of passengers on arrival at the train station has been on for three months, adding that a valid Indian ID is a requirement for exiting. He reminded that 41 trains pass through Dimapur daily, out of which around 19-24 trains have scheduled halts at the station.
In addition, he said checking has been intensified at all the inter-state checkposts and at peripheral entry routes. He said, “Identity documents for ILP applicants from the residents of four districts of Assam are more stringent by inclusion of NRC as an additional requirement apart from Aadhaar.” Since January, he said that 93 Inner Line Permit (ILP) defaulters, 43 in August alone, have been detected
At the bureaucratic level, he said that the Deputy Commissioners of the districts bordering Assam are in constant touch with their counterparts.
He maintained that collective effort is vital to addressing the issue of illegal immigrants. “I appeal to all Civil Society Organisations to remain calm and help the Government agencies,” he said.
The NSF and DNSU made a strong pitch for stronger enforcement of the ILP regime. The NSF President maintained that suggestions with regard to implementation of the ILP are already in the public domain, implying it requires no further discussion. He said, “We are not against outsiders (travellers) coming here. But I would want that the ILP rule is strictly enforced. What is the point of having laws which are not implemented?”
He sought to know from the government the alleged withdrawal of the ILP regime, which was extended to Dimapur district on December 9, 2019. While stating that it was suspended in June 2023, he demanded restoration of the ILP regime in Dimapur district, and in Niuland and Chümoukedima districts as well.
The DNSU held that there was not much to discuss until the state government comes clean on the alleged weak enforcement of the ILP. Maintaining that it is a tool for protecting tribal demographic, he questioned as to why the state government has been unable to enforce it.
ILP defaulter vs illegal immigrant
While ILP and illegal immigrants often get clubbed together, the state government was of the view that there has to be a distinction between the two.
The DGP, Rupin Sharma said that an ILP defaulter could also be an Indian national, while an illegal immigrant would include a Chinese, Myanmarese, a Bangadesh national or any foreigner. “Law makes distinction between an illegal immigrant from Bangladesh or from Myanmar or any other country. An illegal immigrant is an illegal immigrant,” he said.
Hinting at lax checking on the ground, he said that the government is working to improve the online system of issuing ILP, supplemented by authenticating the ILP issued to and produced by travellers to field officers.
He claimed that there has been no noticeable footfall of suspected illegal immigrants since the political upheaval in Bangladesh. However, he called for greater caution while issuing documents like residence proof.
Tenant registration
The DGP made a strong push for putting in place a system paving the way for what he said was “tenant registration” in collaboration with property owners. According to him, this would correspondingly aid in the enforcement of ILP and checking illegal immigrants. Assuring of systemic improvement in the implementation, he said that the government’s intention is not to undermine the concern and effort of the CSOs.
ILP Committee
During the meeting, the Deputy CM, Y Patton made a revelation, informing that the state government had instituted one “ILP Implementation Committee” headed by him. He did not say when it was instituted, only stating that the committee was given six months to report back.
He later told the media that it was set up five months ago and that the committee has already submitted its report. He said that the committee was set up “because there was some problem.”He added that the government would very soon take a decision on the report. He refuted the alleged withdrawal of the ILP regime from Dimapur.
