Meghalaya Group Urges Assam CM Himanta Sarma to Push ILP Across Northeast

The Hynniewtrep Integrated Territorial Organisation (HITO), a prominent Meghalaya-based advocacy group focused on indigenous rights, has formally appealed to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to spearhead a coordinated demand for extending the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system to cover the entire Northeast region. The letter, dated recently amid heightened regional concerns, invokes Sarma's influential position as Chairman of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) to rally support and present a unified front to the central government for this long-pending measure.

HITO's appeal is grounded in the deteriorating political climate in neighboring Bangladesh, coupled with recurring incidents of illegal migrant detections and arrests across Northeast states, which have intensified anxieties over demographic shifts and security vulnerabilities. The organisation specifically referenced recent statements by Bangladeshi leaders asserting dominance over maritime domains and alluding to the strategically vital Siliguri corridor—often termed the "chicken's neck"—as provocative rhetoric that directly imperils the socio-political stability and territorial integrity of India's northeastern frontier.

The Inner Line Permit, established under the colonial-era Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation of 1873, currently mandates that non-resident Indian citizens obtain official permits for entry and temporary residence in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram as protected areas. HITO contends that broadening this regulatory framework to include Meghalaya and Assam, alongside bolstering enforcement mechanisms region-wide, is imperative to shield indigenous populations from unchecked external influx, thereby preserving their ancestral lands, distinct identities, and rich cultural traditions.

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While clarifying that the ILP does not constitute an absolute barrier against infiltration or unauthorized immigration, the group positioned it as a crucial administrative tool capable of systematically monitoring, regulating, and curtailing suspicious movements. The letter conveyed optimism that Sarma's leadership, backed by his party's authority at the Centre, would propel this collective regional aspiration forward, prioritizing national security, demographic equilibrium, and the constitutional safeguards afforded to tribal communities in the Northeast.

Meghalaya's pursuit of ILP implementation spans decades, evidenced by a unanimous resolution passed in the state Assembly several years ago endorsing its adoption, which reflects enduring cross-party consensus on safeguarding the state's unique ethnic composition against persistent migration pressures from across porous international borders.

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