Tension erupted along the Nagaland-Assam border, near Nagaland gate (New Field check gate), Sunday afternoon after hundreds of people from across the border congregated near the check gate and halted vehicles from crossing the area, in protest against ILP.
According to reports, the incident started following rumours of arrest of some Inner Line Permit (LIP) defaulters by Nagaland police near the check gate area. In a series of videos that went viral on social media, people were seen shouting “Go back, Go back”, “ILP namanibo (will not accept ILP)” etc.
PRO Dimapur police Relo T. Aye clarified that the confusion started when police were carrying out routine checking near the border area and also as security measure in view of a programme (2nd Islah-e-Muashra & Duwa Mehfil Eidgah Shareef) being organized near Dimapur District Sports Council stadium. Aye clarified that the checking was misconstrued as an ILP drive and that led to the confusion.
Meanwhile, when contacted, Home commissioner M. Patton informed that the tension along the border area was diffused after the Dimapur district administration contacted its counterpart in Karbi Anglong. Assam police also rushed to the spot and disperse the protestors.
It may be recalled that the Joint Committee for Prevention of Illegal Immigrants (JCPI) had served an ultimatum on chief minister to issue notification on RIIN based on Banuo commission’s report with 1963 as the cut-off year, physical implementation of BEFR, 1873 based on Abhishek committee’s report on ILP, revocation of 1979 as cut-off year under BEFR, 1873 and establishment of Foreigners Tribunals under the Foreigners’ Act, 1946.
JCPI set March 15, 2020 as the deadline to fulfil its demands, failing which it warned that it would be compelled to resort to any democratic means of protest to restore “our inherent rights and privileges”. It also reiterated its demand that January 31, 2020 should be the last date for submission of the commission’s final report and February 29, 2020 as the last date for final notification.