“Concept and Movement for Implementation of Inner Line Permit System (ILPS) in Manipur.”
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AEGAEUM JOURNAL ISSN NO: 0776-3808 “Concept and Movement for Implementation of Inner Line Permit System (ILPS) in Manipur.” Dr. Ng. Ngalengnam Assistant Professor & H.O.D, Political Science & Human Rights, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Regional Campus Manipur (IGNTU-RCM). # 8794394033/ 9863309484 Email: [email protected] INTRODUCTION: The so called Inner Line Regulation is a Regulation which had been passed by the British India in order to maintain certain policy while dealing with the administration in India. As such the ‘Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation of 1873’ popularly known as the Inner Line Regulation (ILR), was the first law promulgated in Assam by the British government for peaceful and good governance of certain districts of Eastern Frontier of Bengal. Such laws are called Regulations to distinguish them from the Acts or Laws passed after discussion in the Legislature 1. ILR was an externalization of the policy of non-interference by the colonial rulers in areas outside the settled and administered districts of Assam. It was purely an administrative measure and not a frontier policy against a foreign people. The policy was directed towards pacification and conciliation of the tribal people with the object to reach the international frontier with Tibet and China. It was never enforced to curb the movement of the hill men across the Line 2. Meaning of ILP: The ILP is a permit system established under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act 1873 under this regulation, no citizen from any other parts of India (outsiders) are permitted to enter into the boundary of a state without a valid pass issued by a competent authority. These passes were usually issued by the State Resident Commissioners/Deputy Commissioners/ any other Officer authorized by the State Government. The main objective of the ILP system is to provide a special protection to the indigenous people of the state where ILP is enforced. If any person enters into so prohibited line without a pass shall be liable to conviction before a magistrate (to imprisonment of either description which may extend to one year, to fine not exceeding Rs 1000/- or to both). The pass to be issued by the competent authority would require payment of duties fees as the state government may deem proper. This provision was made by the British Government under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act, 1873. As per this regulation no outsider can take away any rubber, wax, ivory or other forest product or any Volume 8, Issue 7, 2020 http://aegaeum.com/ Page No: 1630 AEGAEUM JOURNAL ISSN NO: 0776-3808 book, diary, manuscript, map, picture, photograph, film, article of religious or scientific interest outside this inner line permit areas. Brief Historical Background of Inner Line Regulation (ILR): As stated above, the Inner Line Regulation is a Regulation of the British government adopted in India. in order to maintain certain policy while dealing with the administration in India. The Regulation was passed in 1873’ and promulgated in Assam. All the areas of the present North East India felt under Assam. The British government introduced this regulation for peaceful of certain districts of Eastern Frontier of Bengal and Assam. The fact was that theses area was considered to be very backward. Therefore, in the opinion of the British government if these areas are not protected by a strict rule and regulation the indigenous people of the areas would be exploited by the outsiders and have a possibilities to distort their own history, culture and custom etc. Reasons and Objectives for Promulgation Of Inner Line Permit System: The main objectives and reasons for promulgation of Inner Line Permit System in India are; with the gradual extension of the British administration in the Northeastern region, the tea gardens had been opened in the hills. The beginning of competition in connection with the traffic in rubber, wood, wax, ivory, cotton and other jungle products, and in order to avoid frequent clashes which resulted from the unrestricted intercourse between the British subjects in Assam and the hill tribes living across the British frontier, the Government felt it necessary to prohibit British subjects living in the plains from going beyond a certain line, laid down the purpose without a pass or license. a). To provide a special protection to the indigenous people of the state where ILP is enforced. b). ILP certificate can be used only for travel and not for permanent residency in the area where ILP is enforced. c). Outsiders cannot buy property such as land and buildingin the state. d). Inter-caste marriages are not possible as residences of outsiders are not permitted. e). There is no competition among the backward tribes and inflowing foreigners. However, such provisions are not valid for central government employees, security personal. f).To regulate in Indian Rubber between the hills and British traders; g).To control extension of tea plantation into the hill areas; and h).To regulate the transfer of land in these areas etc. Beginning of The Inner Line Permit System (ILR): The inner line regulations, commonly referred to as The Inner Line Permit System (ILP), first come into existed in Manipur with legal recognition from the Bengal the Eastern Frontier Regulations (BEFR) on the 1st November, 1873. The regulation implemented for the first time to the districts of Kamrup, Darrang, Nowgong (Naogaon), Sibsagar, Lakhimpur, Garo Hills, Khasi And Jaintia Hills, Naga Hills, Cachar and Chittagong Hills3. The regulation further Volume 8, Issue 7, 2020 http://aegaeum.com/ Page No: 1631 AEGAEUM JOURNAL ISSN NO: 0776-3808 extended to the Goalpara district, and further extended to Mokokchung subdivision of the then Naga hills now the state of Nagaland. Later it took further extension to sadiya frontier tract, the balipara frontier tract, the lakhimpur frontier tract, now Assam and the then NEFA now Arunachal Prdesh. Obviously the objectives of this regulation were to restrict the entry of persons who were non-native to the areas covered under it. This regulation empowered the then Lt. Governor to prescribe the area to be called ‘the inner line’. in all those notified districts no British subjects of certain classes or foreign residents could pass without a license. Rules were laid down regarding for issue of pass and trade and commerce in the identified inner line areas. The Inner Line Permit system had been implemented in the states of Mizoram, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh by the British government in India in order to safeguard the unique identity of the indigenous people of these states. The ILP system is enforcing in these three northeastern states till date. the Inner Line Permit system has never been implemented in Manipur since Manipur was a princely state. Manipur had already been created its own system of permits/passports to regulate the coming outsiders into its territory before independence. In spite of the fact, that regulation was abolished on 18th November 1950 in the event of its merger into the union of India. Origin of Demand/Movement for Implementation of Inner Line Permit System In Manipur: The origin of demand movement for implementation of Inner Line Permit System in Manipur can be traced back to the time when the All Manipur Students’ Union (AMSU) and the All Manipur Students’ Co-ordinating Committee (AMSCOC), jointly started the Anti-foreigners movement in February, 1980 with the demand to detect and deport foreigners from Manipur1. During the course of the agitation two students namely, Potsangbam Premananda and Huidrom Lokendro succumbed to bullet injuries on 17 April, 1980. As a result of the killing in that movement, the High School Leaving Certificate examination of the year had been boycotted. The movement attained its zenith and the whole state administration had been affected to a great extent in course of the movement. With the effort from both the agitators and the Government of Manipur, both the parties came to a negotiation in order to solve the issue of ILP as well as foreigners issue in two sittings with a draft agreement prepared by AMSU and AMSCOC. The draft agreement was signed on 22nd July and 5th August 1980. The agreement content of 16 points. Some of the points of the 16 points agreement are as given below; definition of Foreigner under the Indian Constitution and the Law; Mode of identification of foreigners with electoral rolls, census figure of 1951, the National Registrar of Citizens’ 1951 and cut off year for identification of foreigner from 26th January, 1950 i.e the date on which the Indian Constitution was enforced, Expulsion of unlawful settlers from K.K. Reserve areas, protected areas, khas lands and other reserve areas, sending back of foreigners entering into Manipur with citizenship certificate from West Bengal, Tripura and any other states and preventing this infiltration into Manipur under specially enacted legislation, strengthening check-posts at Imphal-Dimapur Road, Jiribam, Moreh, Tipaimukh, Volume 8, Issue 7, 2020 http://aegaeum.com/ Page No: 1632 AEGAEUM JOURNAL ISSN NO: 0776-3808 Imphal Airport, restricting of the of any types of entry of foreigners as well as outsiders. To requesting the Government of Nagaland for deputation of an officer at Dimapur to check the Manipur bound passengers, etc3 The agreements was signed by both the parties. From the Government side, the agreement was signed by the Chief Minister and his council of Minister for PHED & Sports and from the students’ side, by the presidents of both AMSU and AMSCOC signed the agreement. Though they signed the said agreement, the process of detection as well as deportation of foreigners was kept in abeyance in Manipur for a long period till the early part of 1994. As a result the second phase of agitation against the foreigners started in middle part of 1994.