Kohima, August 11 (MExN): The Naga Students’ Federation’s (NSF) Inner Line Regulation Commission (ILRC) has written to the Nagaland Chief Secretary seeking the immediate cancellation of all Inner Line Permits (ILPs) issued to persons from Assam districts where large-scale eviction operations have been underway since July 29.
In a letter addressed to the Chief Secretary, the NSF said the Assam government’s “largest eviction drive to date” began on July 29 in the Rengma Reserve Forest, Uriamghat area of Golaghat district, near the Assam–Nagaland border.
The operation, it noted, targeted “over 11,000 bighas of encroached forest land” and involved “thousands of personnel and heavy machinery,” leading to “mass displacement—predominantly affecting families from central Assam districts and reportedly of Bengali-speaking Muslim origin.”
The letter expressed concern over potential cross-border movement into Nagaland, stating: “Given Nagaland’s proximity to the eviction zones, there is significant risk that individuals from these affected districts may seek entry via Inner Line Permits (ILPs)—potentially undermining both the regulation’s intent and the security of indigenous communities.” It added that the state has “already issued advisories to border districts regarding incoming evictees.”
The NSF demanded “immediate cancellation of all ILPs issued to persons originating from Assam districts where eviction operations have been ongoing since July 29, 2025” and “retroactive voiding of ILPs issued from that date onward, to prevent any loopholes in enforcement.”
It also proposed suspension of new ILP issuance to persons from the affected districts “until the situation stabilizes and comprehensive verification can be established,” and called for coordination protocols with Assam officials “to obtain and share data on displaced persons and declared origins.”
The letter further suggested “regular review by the state government to determine when ILP issuance can safely resume to these areas.”
“These steps are necessary to uphold the original purpose of the ILP system: protecting Nagaland’s cultural and demographic integrity during a period of significant regional disruption,” the NSF stated.
It added that the NSF “stand ready to assist the Nagaland government in implementing these protocols, through awareness campaigns, verification support, and community coordination,” and requested an official response “at the earliest, indicating the actions to be taken in light of this unfolding situation.”
