Context

The tribals of Meghalaya are protesting against the CAA and NRC because they do not want “outsiders” coming in to take their land and businesses or dominating their economy. While protesting the CAA, the people of Meghalaya are also demanding the implementation of something called the Inner Line Permit, which was a system started by the British.

About Inner Permit Line:

• The Inner Line Permit concept comes from the colonial area. Under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act, 1873, the British framed regulations restricting the entry and regulating the stay of outsiders in designated areas.
• This imaginary line decreed that people who lived outside of the boundary could not enter without a permit.
• Simply put, an Inner Line Permit is a document that allows an Indian citizen to visit or stay in a state that is protected under the ILP system.
• The system is in force today in three northeastern states:
  • Arunachal Pradesh
  • Nagaland
  • Mizoram
• No Indian citizen can visit any of these states unless he or she belongs to that state, nor can he or she overstay beyond the period specified in the ILP.
• An ILP is issued by the state government concerned. It can be obtained after applying either online or physically.
• It states the dates of travel and also specifies the particular areas in the state which the ILP holder can travel to.

The CAA connection:

• The Citizenship (Amendment) Act aims to make it easier for non-Muslim refugees from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan to obtain Indian citizenship.
• It means that beneficiaries under CAB will become Indian citizens but will not be able to settle in these three states.
• As a matter of fact, the same restriction applies to existing Indian citizens.
• Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland are not among those drastically affected by migration from Bangladesh. Mizoram shares a border with Bangladesh.
• The three states that have seen the highest migration, however, are Assam, Tripura and Meghalaya, none of which has an ILP system.

Knowing the State:

• Meghalaya is a tiny state, with approximately 30 lakh people stretched across 22,000 square kilometres. On the south side, it borders Bangladesh and on the northern side, it borders Assam.
• Meghalaya came into being in 1972 after Assam was reorganised, and has a population of over 90 per cent tribals.
• They are divided into two broad groups:
  • the Garos (in the western side of the state)
  • the Khasis (in the east)
• Khasis are about 56 percent and Garos are about 34 percent.
• Meghalaya is the only other tribal-majority state in the region beyond the purview of the inner line – an anomaly tribal groups canvassing for it routinely point out.
• This despite the fact that parts of the state – the Khasi and the Jaintia hills– do fall under the jurisdiction of Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation.

What does the state want?

• In the wake of the anti-CAA protests, which reintroduced the fear of outsiders, Meghalaya’s Assembly unanimously passed a resolution urging the Government of India to implement Inner Line Permit in the state.
• If this happens, it will be a regressive step for the North East, considering over the years, the requirements of the ILP have softened and been diluted.