Need for ILP in Dpr stressed

    06-Sep-2019
DIMAPUR, Sep 5: Nagaland Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio said that implementation of Inner Line Permit (ILP) will be “accorded priority in Dimapur to avoid complications.” Rio said this during a meeting in Dimapur on the issues of NRC and ILP, reports NNN.
Meanwhile, the Joint Committee on Prevention of Illegal Immigration (JCPI) said on Thursday that it "has been crying hoarse" since August last year that the whole State of Nagaland needs to be covered under ILP to prevent more influx of "suspected illegal Bangladeshi immigrants" into the State in the light of the NRC fallout in Assam "but even after more than a year, the Government is yet to take bold and decisive steps".
The JCPI said, "When the time for CAB approaches, we’ll talk about it but as of now the Government should talk the ILP language and take steps immediately".
The JCPI pointed out the Abhishek Committee on ILP saying that it has already submitted its report to the Government in February 2019. One of the points is with regard to Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) on ILP/BEFR which is along the lines of Mizoram Government notification.
The JCPI said that the Government should not waste any more time and start implementing the Abhishek Committee findings. "The SOP on ILP/BEFR should give more teeth to the Government to identify and deport the lakhs of ILP holders (mostly Bangladeshis) inside the ILP zones of the State – the hill districts – who have set up commercial activities and taken up residency on permanent basis," it also said.According to the JCPI, the ILP is only a pass to enter the State for a short or temporary period of time and does not give outsiders the right to engage in commercial activities.  "The Government is reminded that only Indigenous people can live, work and earn in ILP zones and all these ILP holders engaging in trading and commercial activities is illegal," it added. The JCPI also said that except for bonafide Central and State Government servants/PSU employees/bank officials, tourists on visit, etc., all ILP holders –cum – traders should be identified and their valid ILP cancelled and deported from the districts.
The JCPI said that, while the Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN) exercise is underway and should be expedited, the Government should immediately declare Dimapur as an ILP zone in view of the publication of NRC in Assam. The JCPI said it is puzzled as to why this is so difficult when the former Governor PB Acharya himself said that Dimapur should come under ILP. "What is the Government afraid of when the Supreme Court has already dismissed the PIL against ILP?", it asked.
"ILP or no ILP the Government should immediately set up checkpoints at all the entry points along the entire Disputed Area Belt," it demanded.  The JCPI then said it is beginning to suspect that the Government is being vindictive in its approach. "It hasn’t shown the maturity or the decisiveness on an issue where the people will have nothing but gratitude for the Government if their interest is protected," it added.
The JCPI said that it is forced to make the declaration that if the full scope of the Abhishek Committee findings is not unleashed for implementation, the stakeholders will be forced to rise to the occasion. "In this regard the civil society organisations and student bodies in all the districts should be ready for any eventuality," it alerted. "While the activities of the student bodies in apprehending ILP defaulters – those without ILP – in the hill districts is much laudable, our focus should be on checking those with valid ILPs who are engaged in commercial activities and handing them over to the police," it added.