Workers from Assam leave Arunachal after anti-migrant drive by AAPSU

Despite the fact that the drive conducted by All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU) against those who don't own inner line permits (ILP) was suspended on Sunday, but the exodus of people from Arunachal Pradesh is going on.

It is seen that about 100 labourers from Assam vacated the state on Monday. Among those 100 workers, about 65 people left capital Itanagar on Monday. They were alleged of not possessing Inner Line Permits(ILPs). The majority of them are from Sonitpur district of Assam. The other 35 people were from different districts of Assam who were engaged in work at various places of Arunachal Pradesh.

ILP is a travel document necessary for Indians to stay and work in Arunachal Pradesh.

AAPSU embarked on 'Operation Clean Drive'(OCD) on August 17 against those who were identified as illegal immigrants or ILP violators after the second and final draft of NRC was published in Assam last month. Following this publication, most of the Northeastern states beefed up their vigil in view of the fact that those whose name was left in the final draft of NRC would try to creep into their states.

Overall names of 4 million people were absent in the final draft of National Register of Citizens in Assam out of 3.29 crore applications.

Several hundred people from Assam had left Arunachal Pradesh since AAPSU spotted 2,205 ILP violators in Arunachal Pradesh ever after it launched OCD.

After suspending its drive on Sunday AAPSU president Hawa Bagang told a newspaper that the drive had been suspended for the time being to make sure there was no misunderstanding with Assam. Bagang said," It is not a drive against the people of Assam. We are targeting only those who are staying here without valid ILPs. We have got 100 percent support from the administration. The decision to suspend the drive is only to clear misunderstanding and maintain peace with Assam."

According to him the next phase of the drive will be decided on August 23.