By Phrangsngi Pyrtuh
The Assam violence and the subsequent drama has once again raised the issue of illegal migration and the need (mechanism) to curtail it. Most susceptible to influx are the areas beyond the Siliguri corridor or the chicken neck that defines the North Eastern region. Much of the violence arising from the recent conflagration erupted around this region. This piece of narrow land is most vulnerable from the surrounding areas which may also pose serious security issues. Time and again the state governments have voice their concerns on the same which is no different in the our state. I do not want to enter the debate that is being played out in the context of the latest events. What baffles me is the convenience with which the issue is whipped up while the actors playing out this game are the same old ones with their old set of ideas which has not changed at all since the game was first played out (despite the changing dynamics of the entire episode). We have not moved an inch despite the fact that the issue of illegal migration and unregulated flow of laborers needs urgent action. Before a storm there is a lull, but the lull has been dreary and never ending. This is the progress report of all those involved vis-à-vis the issues mentioned. And this has cost us dearly in time and resources. No one seems to be on the same page on how to tackle the menace.
To the government the issue of Inner Line Permit (ILP) is as good as dead while the same horse is flogged by most of the advocate groups. There is no meeting point at all. This therefore begs the question if we are really concerned with our identity and of using whatever (alternative) means available in protecting it. This is not a one way traffic. Protecting our identity does not only mean setting in place an ILP or a 3- tier identification system. There are many ways of doing so. And why should only these be considered as appropriate mechanism to check influx? The society’s intellectual capacity and free thinking has so degenerated that we can only come up with two options so far though the issue has been raging for as long as one can remember. In fact there should be as many options/opinions as there are organizations baying for government’s blood on the issue. Besides the intellectuals, the grassroots leaders, bureaucrats etc should be given space to contribute as well. Personally I don’t see any merit in favoring only one system given that the situation has reached a level where a multi-approach strategy is needed.
We need to keep in mind that illegal migration is a multi-dimensional phenomenon. The ILP or the 3 tier system may not be sufficient guarantees to keep it in check. The entire system needs to be overhauled. Changes should all come together -a synergy of sorts if you wish, which is reasonable, logistical, practical and most importantly acceptable to all. For instance what good would the ILP do if we do not include proper stipulations to the Land Transfer Act? After all the clamor for land and its utility is the primary reason for alien intrusion such as illegal laborers. Do we even bother to know if these two are linked at all and therefore accord desirable changes? It is no rocket science that one should fail to examine the link between land as a commodity on one hand and the increasing demand of laborers which is brought from outside the state (by landowners, local entrepreneurs etc) to operate it. What I am stating is one part of a multifaceted problem since the factors of production are entangled in this web and there is just not one way of addressing it. Which is why we need a debate that goes beyond the ILP or the 3 tier identity system. The state mining policy, child laborers regulation, labor laws etc must be part and parcel of the grand scheme of things.
Of course the glamour for the ILP is so deep rooted that it may be extremely difficult to bypass it as an option. The dominant view favors the ILP. Other emerging views are those of Toki Blah’s three tier ID system and I am sure that there are others who would like to share their views to this burning issue. But given the fact that there are many who are still unaware of this hullabaloo- superimposing one system while ignoring the others may not be desirable. All the stakeholders should be given opportunity to present their case. A multi-pronged strategy may be the only feasible option to satisfy the demands of all the parties. For instance the merits of the ILP could coalesce into those of the 3 tier system and others.
There are certain regions in the state such as the mining areas where urgent action is needed. One can no longer wait for an ILP or an ID system in such places. A contingent plan needs to be set in place pronto. Strict regulation, auditing and monitoring should start in right earnest. Another group of regions such as the border areas are most vulnerable. Border fencing is lackadaisical while border patrolling has evidently not been of much help. Other groups of land/region that remain untouched by illegal migration should be identified (and there are still many). They should be clustered in a special group. Entry and checkpoints to this group of places should be strictly monitored enlisting the help of the local council. Special places that have mythological and spiritual connotation in our tribal existence need separate consideration. Permits can be introduced in such places due to their sacro-sanctity And then you have the urban centers like Shillong which is a behemoth of illegal settlers and migrants. Identifying bonafide residents from those that are not, is already a sensitive issue. Cooperation of both the tribal and non tribal organizations could massively help in the identification drive (which is absent at present). These are practical steps-small but effective until we have such ‘institutionalized mechanisms’ which are stringent and all-encompassing as our rhetorical Chief Minister recently hooted.
The Government is buying its time and sees no benefit to rush through any sort of legislation since its stake with the mining industry bigwigs stretches far beyond the 2013 elections. It is no fool to rush through the legislation no matter if a thousand Assam like violence occur and reoccur to remind us of a fatal and dark future. Its stake with the mining group is too high for such a move. It knows that the issue though a hot potato now, sooner or later will disappear to oblivion. But do we really need to wait for another Assam like situation for us to debate and press for anti-illegal immigration bill. This merry go round has to stop. Just give us something – anything to show that you still care.
We need to shed our recalibrating display of non-cooperation while shedding our inhibition towards one another to at least thrash out this do or die issue. After all we are all in this together. Period.