Naga students demand implementation of Inner Line permit in three districts within 14 Days

Kohima, Sep 6 2024 : The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Nagaland state government, demanding the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in three districts – Dimapur, Chümoukedima, and Niuland. The federation expressed frustration over the government’s inaction despite multiple representations, including the most recent one on February 28, 2024. In a statement released on Thursday, NSF President Medovi Rhi and Assistant General Secretary Kenilo Kent voiced the federation’s concerns, describing the situation as an urgent matter of cultural preservation and homeland security. The NSF highlighted the growing unrest in Bangladesh, which they believe poses a threat to the region’s stability and could lead to a demographic shift that endangers the Naga people’s way of life.

“The demographic shift we are witnessing is not just a statistical change; it represents a dilution of Naga culture, our identity, and our future as indigenous people. We will not remain passive while our homeland is turned into a refuge for illegal immigrants,” the NSF declared in the statement. The NSF emphasized that any further delay in implementing the ILP would be seen as a failure of the state government to protect the Naga people and an abandonment of its responsibilities. They reiterated the need to safeguard the Naga homeland from illegal immigration and warned that the federation would take action if the government does not enforce the ILP in the three districts within the given timeframe. Nagaland enforces the ILP under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR) Act of 1873, which restricts the entry of non-Nagas into the state in order to preserve the identity and existence of its indigenous people. According to this regulation, individuals who are not indigenous to Nagaland must obtain an ILP from the state government, allowing them to enter the region for a limited period.

However, ILP provisions were not extended to Dimapur, the state’s commercial hub, which was bifurcated into three districts – Dimapur, Chümoukedima, and Niuland – in 2021. Dimapur and Niuland also share an inter-state border with Assam, making the NSF’s call for ILP implementation in these areas even more critical for controlling unauthorized migration. The NSF has vowed to monitor the situation closely and take further steps if the government fails to meet its demands within the 14-day deadline.