The Dimapur Naga Students’ Union (DNSU) has condemned the Nagaland government’s continued ineffective approach towards the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Dimapur.
While the government has made pronouncements of intent, the DNSU rued that Dimapur is the only district in Nagaland left vulnerable to demographic invasion and the erosion of indigenous rights. “The future of the Naga people in Dimapur hangs in the balance, and the government’s inaction is nothing short of a betrayal. Dimapur, the gateway and commercial heart of Nagaland, is drowning in an unchecked influx of non-residents, a direct consequence of the government’s inexcusable failure to enforce the very regulations designed to protect us. This blatant disregard for the well-being of the indigenous population, hidden behind a veneer of bureaucratic inertia, is creating a demographic time bomb that threatens to obliterate our identity and marginalize us in our own land,” stated the Union in a press release issued on May 1.
The DNSU also aserted that the ILP in Dimapur is not a matter for endlless deliberation or piecemeal implementation, but a fundamental right of the indigenous people of Nagaland to protect their land, resources, culture, and identity.
“The government’s failure to act decisively and enforce the ILP with unwavering resolve smacks of incompetence, if not outright complicity in the demographic assault on Dimapur. We reject the notion that the implementation of ILP should be a protracted process riddled with exemptions and ambiguities that ultimately serve to undermine its very purpose. The concerns raised by minority communities regarding long-term residents must be addressed within a framework that unequivocally prioritizes the protection of indigenous rights. Voter ID cards and PRCs, while important, cannot supersede the fundamental need to regulate entry and safeguard the demographic integrity of our ancestral land,” suggested the Union.
In this regard, it has demanded that the government immediately enact a clear, comprehensive, and rigorously enforced ILP regime in Dimapur. According to the Union, the enforcement must include:
-Immediate issuance of clear and non-negotiable deadlines for all non-exempt individuals to obtain ILPs.
-Establishment of robust and adequately staffed enforcement mechanisms, including stringent checks at all entry points – railway stations, roadways, and other avenues of ingress.
-Active involvement of empowered civil society organizations in monitoring and enforcing ILP regulations, ensuring transparency and accountability.
-Rejection of any attempts to create loopholes or exemptions that would effectively render the ILP toothless and perpetuate the demographic imbalance.
-Publicly transparent guidelines and processes for ILP application and verification, leaving no room for ambiguity or corruption.
Download Nagaland Tribune app on Google Play
Providing a reminder on the Article 371A of the Constitution of India which enshrines the unique rights and autonomy of the Naga people, the Union contended that the failure to implement a strong ILP in Dimapur is not just an administrative oversight but a direct affront to the constitutional safeguards meant to protect the existence of the Nagas.
“We will not stand idly by while our land and identity are eroded by your incompetence and lack of political will. The DNSU demands immediate, decisive action. DNSU asserts that if a 1971 cut-off is deemed necessary for Assam to protect its demographic integrity, then logic and historical accuracy dictate that Nagaland’s cut-off year must be no later than its formation in 1963, if not earlier. For 16 formative years, Nagaland was subjected to the same demographic flows as Assam. To arbitrarily set a later date is to willfully ignore this crucial historical period and expose Nagaland to the consequences of unchecked immigration that occurred while it was under Assam’s administrative jurisdiction,” asserted the DNSU.
It urged every Naga to stand together to demand a just and effective ILP system that “truly protects our land, our identity, and our future”.
