Three student unions including Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) and Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) Monday staged protest rallies in their respective state capital, against the move to scrap the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR) Act of 1873 (Inner Line Permit) in the three states of Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland.
The agitation assumes significance as a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on BEFR, 1873, filed by a Silchar-based NGO is expected to come up for hearing in the Gauhati High Court on Tuesday. NSF volunteers drawn from various colleges and tribal units gathered outside the NSF office and later marched to the Raj Bhavan where NSF officials submitted a representation to the Governor, who was reportedly out of station.
The representation stated that inspite of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) Regulation Act (Section III of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act of 1873) in operation in the Naga Hill district (present Nagaland state) since 1873, it was observed that in every part of the state there were illegal migrants engaged in various trades.
“The great exposure through heavy influx of outsiders into our land has greatly unset the socio-economic, moral, political and cultural life of our people, challenging the very existence and identity of the Nagas,” the representation pointed out and added ILP regulation was introduced to safeguard the identity and very existence of the indigenous people from exploitation by outsiders/plain people. Vowing to leave no stone unturned to protect the ethnic identity of the indigenous people of the three states, the Federation also expressed confidence that the Government of India would consider the genuine demand of the younger generation.
Meanwhile, NSF officials warned that the Federation might resort to other extreme forms of agitations if the Government of India went ahead with the move to scrap the BEFR Act.
Monday, February 16, 2026