ILP prevents exploitation of indigenous people but hinders

Inner Line Permit (ILP) prevents exploitation of the indigenous people, land and its resources, but hinders growth and development, Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs Ninong Ering said today.
"The ILP issued under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulations Act, 1873 protects the local indigenous people and disallows outsiders to grab land," Ering told PTI on the sidelines of a programme here.
"As of now, I can say we are protected (from influx), due to the ILP," he said.
Ering, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, where the ILP is in vogue as in Mizoram and Nagaland, however, said, "That is also the reason why industrialists and corporate bodies do not like to come to places where the Act is in place, which is the negative aspect of it."

Stating that the density of population of his home state was just about 12 persons per km, Ering said one could imagine the kind of influx that would have taken place in the 83,000 sq km if not for the ILP.
Urging the stakeholders in Meghalaya to make a judicious assessment before taking a call on implementing the BEFR, Ering said, "Influx from Bangladesh is real. It is happening in other North Eastern states and even in Delhi."

"The home department and state government should look into it," he said.
Asked if ILP was the solution to influx in Meghalaya, Ering said, "I don't know whether ILP would be a plus or minus point given the positive and negative aspects of it."

He also cautioned untoward incidents might take place given the fact that there were genuine Bangladeshi migrants residing here for long.
Over 70 pro-ILP activists have been arrested since September 2 across the state for involving in various anti- government protests, while leaders of 13 pro-ILP groups have gone into hiding.
With the state government taking a firm stand in not implementing the BEFR which facilitates ILP, pro-ILP groups have organised shutdowns, picketing, night road blockades and other forms of protests demanding implementation of ILP.