Editor,
I am delighted to see the responses to my article, “The ILP debate” (ST Oct 4, 2012) and am gratified that people are sitting up and taking notice at last. I hope this phenomenon will be sustained for the good of the masses. I write to provoke and this was the first time that, that purpose was achieved. The recipe is a bit of arrogance and direct finger pointing. In this instance the result is gratifying. In a sober mood I would confess that RG Lyngdoh’s interpretation of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation,1873, had got my goat as well as of others (who were listening) because he appeared not to have read that Regulation. He mentioned it as a preamble and interpreted it out of context. It would have satisfied every one if he had read what the Regulation says and gave his interpretation and views and allowed others to comment. That is what, I believe, is the purpose of a discussion and debate.
I thank all those who had taken the trouble to respond by having their views published in the press as well as those who contacted me on the phone. I am specially grateful to those who had found my views to be antagonistic to their own. I am eager to learn and the best way to do that, I find, is to air one’s views to be criticized or be critically analysed.
One thing I ought to take note of is the apparent prejudice/bias harboured by some of us against those who might just hint at the noble intention of our erstwhile rulers, the imperialist conquerors. In a letter captioned, “The ILP unveiled” (ST Oct 8, 2012) Alex P Solomon makes no secret of his prejudice by writing, sarcastically, “How can Mr. RG Lyngdoh even doubt the compassion, integrity and philanthropy of hard nosed white skin traders?” To the many who may still harbour this kind of bias/prejudice I suggest that they read the History of Government of India before and immediately after 1858 till 1947. As for RG Lyngdoh’s “audacity in doubting the love, respect, admiration and high regard our erstwhile British Colonial masters had for the indigenous people of this region”, I suggest that interested persons read copies of the Hansard – if they can lay their hands on any copy of the period – chronicling the debates in the British Parliament on Indian affairs that is if they can unshackle their minds from the set prejudices against the colonial powers and their evangelizing missionaries.
As for “delinking of the ILP from all future debates on influx” it would have been better had the kind of influx been mentioned. Influx of would-be settlers would be taken care of by the strict implementation of the ILP if the governments are in the hands of persons with unblemished probity. Influx of tourists and genuine traders would still be beyond the ambit of the Regulation. To those who, like Dr. Mukul Sangma, have just discovered that there is a mechanism other – not stronger – than the ILP to stop influx I would suggest that they read the article captioned, “Meghalaya, with or without ILP?” (ST Aug 20,2012) in which I had stated, “the grass root levels of administration were empowered to participate in the process” – of implementation of ILP. On page 17 of The Telegraph of Oct 8, 2012, under the heading, “Influx worries Lalthanhawla”, I read, “When confronted with the accusations that the activists of Young Mizo Association, the biggest NGO in Mizoram, are engaged in checking the Inner Line Permits of the non-Mizos, Lalthanhawla said there is nothing wrong with it”. This bears out my statement about the involvement of administration at grass root levels.
I wish our CM also had the spine to do what the CM of Mizoram does.
Yours etc.,
Morning Star Sumer,
Shillong-2
Enough of ILP debate
Editor,
Why do some people of Meghalaya, including the so called opinion trumpeters, spend their precious time in debating an old issue like the INNER LINE PERMIT? What is so special about it? Everyone in the Government, the policy makers, the administrators, the professionals and majority of the people of this state have already known about it and also its pros and cons. They no longer need education or debate on this, as this issue is much older than the ages of those who love to engage in debates on this issue. The mere question is should the Government of Meghalaya put in place Inner Line Permit (ILP) through which the unabated influx of foreigners/outsiders from the neighbouring countries and also from the main land India is subjected to checks and verification or not? If yes, then go ahead and if no, then implement other more effective mechanisms to combat this menace. The Influx of illegal migrants has reached such alarming proportions that delay in implementing effective and appropriate steps will not help anyone in the state, including the antagonists of ILP. Instead every local indigenous tribal and local non-tribal of the state will be swarmed by the hoards of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, Nepal and from other parts of India. These illegal immigrants from across neighbouring countries who are in Meghalaya, in North East and elsewhere in India, are dangerous threats to the security and integrity of the country as they are living time bombs waiting to explode any time. The Government of India as well as the government of Meghalaya know it. But no action is taken!
In the interest of the people of our state and in the interest of India as a whole, putting in place all effective mechanisms, including the ILP, the three tier system, the Work Permit or everything else that will help in preventing unabated influx of illegal migrants, ought to be implemented and acted upon expeditiously before it is too late. Meghalaya’s present population is 30 lakhs odd and the total population of indigenous local tribal is approximately 17 lakh only, which was not the situation earlier. Is this not threatening? And we spent our precious time engaging in academic debates! We have no time for it. We want immediate action.
The government of Meghalaya should go ahead with putting ILP and other steps in place. After all ILP is a mechanism of allowing entry to people from outside the state into the state through permit. It is not against development or tourism development or against inflow of investment in Industries etc. I cannot enter someone’s premises without permission or go to other countries without a visa. It is illegal. We have not even introduced ILP in Meghalaya. How can we say that it will discourage or prevent economic development! If indigenous local tribal or indigenous non-tribal are reduced to minority or disappear all together from the face of Meghalaya what tourism, economic dividends or economic development and so on are we talking about? People who are in the government or outside it and who had manipulated Meghalaya Transfer of Land (Regulation) Act, 1971 and also those for whom ILP is anathema or other steps to stop influx into the state must be having hidden diabolical agenda or are catalytic agents of some vested interests who are all out not only to self aggrandizement but also to ensure that Meghalaya will become one of the expanded territories of Greater Bangladesh or Greater Bengal. It is a wrong notion to brand pro ILP people as anti Indians. In fact, it is the other way around.
Yours etc.,
Philip Marweiñ,
Editor, Youth Today