By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Independent legislator Manas Chaudhuri has made an impassioned plea for a one-time solution to the vexatious problem of influx of ‘outsiders’, and suggested adoption of 3- tier identity card rather than Inner Line Permit ( ILP) system, with adequate safeguard for the indigenous tribes and the permanent non-tribal residents.
Moving a private member’s motion in the Assembly on Thursday, he highlighted the demerits of ILP which was not fool proof.
On the other hand, I-Card system would entail one time identification of the permanent non-tribals and granting them their due status as Meghalayans. Such a step would put an end to new entrants seeking greener pastures in the State.
Elaborating on it, Chaudhuri said that one category of card can be for permanent residents of the State while another card can be for semi-permanent citizens.
“A third type of card may be for workers,” the independent legislator said.
The advantage was that the State will not have any additional expenditure as the funds for the card systems will be fully borne by the Centre.
According to Chaudhuri, Sikkim is a shining example where no outsider can settle afresh and there was equal privileges for all sections of permanent residents.
On the impracticability of Inner Line Permit, he said that the system requires constitutional amendment which was a difficult proposition given the state of Parliament at present.
“Even if ILP is introduced, there will be loopholes as in the case of foreigners who have not returned to their countries after coming to India with valid papers,” he said.
He described the idea of ILP as retrograde.
According to Chaudhuri, a lot of unknown faces are in town which is a concern of the people.
He said the steps taken so far have yielded partial results as the system has not lived upto expectations.
“The District Councils and the traditional institutions with their own limitations have failed in protecting the indigenous population of the State. The Government machinery has let us down,” Chaudhuri said while adding that the Government has taken steps only in bits and pieces to address the problem of influx.
Differentiating the fear of the people over influx and the actual reality, Chaudhuri said that the perceived fear is not realistic.
He quoted the population figures of the statistical handbook of Meghalaya which said that in 1972, there were 20 percent non-indigenous people in the State while percentage of such people stand reduced to only ten percent in 2011. According to Chaudhuri, the Shillong Urban population of non-tribals was 1, 20, 867 in 2001, adding that the non-tribal population in 2011 was 1, 32,827.
In Shillong Cantonment Board which is mostly dominated by non-tribal population, he said that the total population in 2011 was 12,396 while in 2010, the population registered was 13,678.
The discussion on this motion was inconclusive since the House was adjourned.
