By Naba Bhattacharjee
Echo of the recent ethnic conflict and the consequent bloodshed in Bodoland areas are reverberating throughout the North East in no uncertain terms. Strife of such nature is nothing new in this region. But hardly any lessons are learnt from neither such genocide nor any in depth analysis of such riots ever undertaken with the seriousness it deserves. This incident too is likely to face the same fate with an ostrich like approach of both Central and State Governments. The entire tragedy where over hundred lives have been lost and another few hundreds injured and almost two lakhs people rendered homeless shall be forgotten till another tragedy occurs. The mantra is – no action and philosophy – time is the best healer. But for how long will the genesis of the problem be avoided? In rare cases, even if any study is done, no tangible action is initiated to ensure that the causal factors and issues are attended to in a holistic manner. The reality, whatever it is has to be faced with sincerity of purpose and commitment. The guiding principle of appeasement and adopting a policy in tune with the famous adage of “hunting with the hound and running with the hare” can serve a cause for sometime but bound to prove counter productive in the long run. Bodoland is one of the numerous examples of such an approach which is neither politically sound nor conducive in strengthening the secular firmament of the country.
A sustained movement is on to weaken the country by creating schism between the multifarious religious and linguistic groups, co-existing peacefully. There is no other country in the world which can boast of such harmony. With passage of time this binding factor which initially was an enigma has now become a cause of envy to others. The strategy is to foment ethnic, religious and communal discord where all Indians, are the focus of attack. Illegal migration from neighboring countries to our region has a definite agenda – disintegration. The biggest scar in the psyche of Pakistan, probably bigger than Kashmir, is the role of India in ensuring independence of East Pakistan and formation of Bangladesh. This wound is still raw. Bangladesh as a nation is a reality and irreversible. Hence the next best option at revenge is to disintegrate our nation by dismembering NE from India. The greater or pan Bangladesh policy of ISI is an open secret with countless evidence of such strategy being pursued. It is time to seek preventive measures than to look for solutions after allowing the situation to go out of hand.
Back home in Meghalaya the situation is no better. The entire system appears to be in denial mode although it is time to initiate concrete steps before the situation goes beyond redemption. The genuine non-tribal, for instance, who has been residents of Meghalaya for generations, has also suffered and bore the brunt of influx. Low profile intruders become Frankenstein’s; out to execute their horrific agenda of striking at the demographic status, altering the balance in their favor. Are we ready and vigilant to check and counter the evil designs of such activists, who enter the state as laborers, farm help, workers in coal mines etc with a fixed action plan? A few individuals or a small organization within them may be here as trained agents of destruction. Their gruesome acts are worst than the most dreaded of diseases or even most intense of disasters- natural or otherwise. Any danger to the demographic status of the indigenous population of the state is bound to have far reaching implications to the genuine minorities as well.
In Meghalaya, we hear some sound bytes emanating from government regarding measures taken or proposed, to check such eventualities. Are these steps adequate to pre-empt and counter a well planned onslaught of similar nature in the State? A definite no is the answer. No government can attain even a modicum of success without active involvement and support from all sections of society as Chief Minister Dr. Mukul Sangma has rightly stated recently. It is time to tighten our belts or the usual knee jerk reaction after an incident, can only lead to the obvious. The long-awaited work permit is yet to be implemented although a notification to introduce the system under the Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Condition of Service) Act 1979 has been issued. So far no migrant laborers have been detained or prosecuted for not possessing the work permit except cases of detection and deportation by NGO’s in absence of any existing mechanism, although it is not heir mandate to undertake this task. The District level task force is not yet functional in ensuring complete registration of the laborers and inter-state migrants who have settled in the State temporarily for jobs or other purposes. Similarly, Directorate of Infiltration with Inspectorates at the block level is supposed to handle influx matters. Failure to implement the work permit has raised concern among the local indigenous population.
The best option under the compelling circumstances, although fraught with few innate limitations, is introduction of Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act of 1873 (Inner Line Permit) as prevailing in the three states of Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland. Inner Line Permit System enforced in Manipur was abolished after the merger of Manipur into the Indian Union in 1950. A campaign both at the political and civil society level has already started in Manipur to reintroduce Inner Line Permit System. The apprehension that the indigenous people would be rendered minority in their own land one day if the influx is not checked in time is well-founded. Meghalaya was also in line to be covered by Inner Line Permit but being under Assam and Shillong being the capital then the idea was dropped since major section of the population belonging to the undivided State would have to obtain the permit to come into the two districts including the capital. Even as the Indian constitution allows citizens of India to settle in any part of the country, the same provision of the Constitution needs serious re-thinking in the context of small States like Meghalaya, which is inhabited by different indigenous communities who are numerically very small. As our constitution has no provision to safeguard interests of smaller communities’ particularly their demographic status, enforcement of Inner Line Permit System is justifiable. At the same time adequate safeguard of rights enshrined in the constitution to an Indian citizen irrespective of his caste, creed or religion must also be accorded equal priority and importance. It has been accepted in the international level that all small indigenous communities should be saved and allowed to survive and prosper. This has also been incorporated in the objectives of the United Nations. For all these reasons, it is necessary to deliberate on the option of introducing the Inner Line Permit System so as to check influx and save both the indigenous people and genuine Indians from being overwhelmed by immigrants.
(The writer is an Environmentalist & social thinker)