Meghalaya: Demand for Inner Line Permit increases despite CAA exemption

Shillong: Following the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), there's a renewed push for an Inner Line Permit (ILP) system in Meghalaya. Though the CAA largely doesn't apply to the state due to its tribal protections, citizen groups fear loopholes and a spillover effect from neighbouring Assam.

Expressing concerns, Roy Kupar Synrem, president of the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC), highlighted that while tribal areas are exempt from CAA, Shillong, the capital, has areas outside the Sixth Schedule's purview. This, he argues, could allow migrants to settle there and potentially take advantage of CAA.

Fearing an "unjustified influx," Synrem proposes a dual approach: complete exemption from CAA and implementation of ILP. This sentiment is echoed by other citizen bodies like the Jaintia National Council (JNC) and Confederation of Ri Bhoi People (CORP) who have petitioned Chief Minister Conrad Sangma for ILP.

The Meghalaya Legislative Assembly passed a resolution for ILP in 2019, but it awaits approval from the Union Home Ministry. Chief Minister Sangma has also taken the matter to Prime Minister Modi, emphasizing the need for ILP to safeguard indigenous communities.

This renewed demand for ILP comes amidst ongoing anxieties about migration in Meghalaya. The system, already in place in four other northeastern states, requires special permits for entry and travel.