A contentious regime

 An incident on March 2 in Dimapur set off a storm when migrants orchestrated a protest and prevented all Nagaland registered vehicles from entering Assam at Lahorijan Karbi Anglong near Nagaland border gate. The protest was held, after policeon February 27, rounded up some 60 persons who did not possess Inner Line Permit. The checking done under the clauses of the ILP (BEFR) came after Dimapur district was also brought under ILP by the state government from December 9, 2019. Prior to that, Dimapur was the only district in the state which was not under ILP regime. The incident on March 2 at Lahorijan appears illogical because it was like a blackmail even if the ‘enforcement of ILP’ within Dimapur has also been questioned by the Joint Committee on Prevention of Illegal Immigrants (JCPI). The issue of ILP can be seen from two angles that could raise some pertinent issues. On one side, those citizens belonging to non-Naga communities are certainly apprehensive that it (ILP) will cause more than inconvenience since they would be subjected to checks in a place they call it their home. The other is that ILP regime is likely to dampen the enthusiasm for outside investors from coming to do business under such an environment. Be that as it may, since ILP is now a reality but its ‘enforcement” was a surprise particularly for the domiciled communities, who some of them trace their residency since the time when their grandfathers settled in the place during the second world war. After Dimapur was brought under the ILP regime, entire Nagaland today has become a ‘protected area’ that effectively restricts entry of outsiders who can no longer come and go as they used to. Dimapur, it may be reminded, has always been a free zone where trade and commerce thrived in a free environment. The March 2 check on ILP may have been done in pursuance of implementation. However, the Joint Committee on Prevention of Illegal immigrants (JCPI) has sought to know from the district administration as under what provisions of law were fines imposed on 40 non-Nagas who were rounded up during an Inner Line Permit (ILP) drive near Clock Tower here on February 27. Reacting to news reports in this regard, the committee alleged that the knee-jerk reaction of the district administration without following standard operating procedures had resulted in pressing the panic button among the non-Naga communities in Nagaland. Further, JCPI in a statement said it has maintained that the strengthened system for implementation of ILP had not been finalised, and so wanted to know under what provision of law was the fine of Rs 600 imposed on them. Interestingly, JCPI alluded some sinister motive on the part of some vested interest groups and individuals in trying to usurp proper and effective implementation of ILP in Dimapur and warned that they would be made answerable in due course of time. JCPI has offered to hold dialogues with any aggrieved community or individual to ensure effective implementation of ILP with December 1, 1963 as cut-off date. The ILP has to be handled properly so that it does achieve its objective –prevent illegal immigrants from entering and staying – and at the same time, all non-Naga communities should not be harassed.