Editor,
Why do people of Meghalaya, including the so called opinion makers and trumpeters, spend many years of 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 already know 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 academic debates on this issue.
The question is – when will the Government of Meghalaya put in place Inner Line Permit (ILP) or other mechanisms through which the unabated influx of foreigners from the neighbouring countries and also from main land India is subjected to checks and verification to combat this menace. The government has assured the 13 pro ILP NGOs to give copies of 52 laws which help to stop influx of illegal migrants. Where are the laws and what have these laws done so far to stop this menace? The Influx of illegal migrants, today, has reached to such alarming proportions that delay in implementing effective and appropriate mechanisms will not help anyone in the state, including those in the government and the antagonists of ILP including their descendants. Instead, every local indigenous tribal and local genuine non-tribal of the state have already been swamped by hordes of illegal migrants from Bangladesh, Nepal and from other parts of India. These illegal migrants from across neighbouring countries who are in Meghalaya, in North East and elsewhere in India, are a threat to the security and integrity of the country as they are a living time bomb waiting to explode any time. The Government of India as well as the government of Meghalaya know it. Yet, no action is taken!
In the interest of the people of our state and in the interest of India as a whole, all effective mechanisms, including the ILP which will help in preventing unabated influx of illegal migrants ought to be implemented and acted upon swiftly and expeditiously before it is too late. Meghalaya’s present population is 32 lakhs and the total population of indigenous local tribals is about 17 lakh only, which was not the situation earlier. Is this not a threat? And we spend our precious time in engaging in academic debates! We have no time for it. We want immediate action.
The ILP is anathema to the government of Meghalaya under Dr Mukul Sangma. After all, ILP is a mechanism of allowing entry to people from outside the state through permit. It is not against development or tourism 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 and I may be booked for trespass. We have not even introduced ILP in Meghalaya. How can we say that it will discourage or prevent economic development! If indigenous local tribals or genuine local non-tribals are reduced to a minority or disappear from the face of Meghalaya can tourism, economic development and so on save us? People who were in the government or outside it and who were responsible for manipulation of Meghalaya Transfer of Land (Regulation) Act, 1971 and also those for whom ILP is anathema must be having a hidden diabolical agenda or are catalytic agents of some vested interests who are all out not only for self aggrandizement but also to ensure that Meghalaya will become one of the expanded territories of Bangladesh or Greater Bengal. It is absurd to brand pro ILP people as anti Indians.
Yours etc.,
Philip Marweiñ,
Shillong 2