Arunachal Pradesh protected under ILP regime, says Pema Khandu

OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Thursday clarified that the State will be out of the purview of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), as it is protected under the provisions of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873.

The statement of objects and reasons of the CAA seeks to protect the Constitutional guarantee given to the indigenous population of the north-eastern State covered under the Sixth Schedule and the statutory protection given to areas covered under the ILP regime, Khandu said in response to a question raised in the House by Congress members Ninong Ering and Lombo Tayeng.

Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur come under the ILP regime. Both the senior Congress leaders were apprehensive that the Chakma and Hajong refugees residing in the State would demand citizenship after enactment of the CAA, and sought to know from the State government whether full proof protection was given to the indigenous population of the State.

“There is no change of status in regard to citizenship for any Chakma and Hajong residing in the State after the enactment and coming into force of the CAA,” said Khandu, adding that not only the refugees but other Indians who want to enter the State should obtain ILP.

The Chief Minister added that the State is also protected under the Chin Hills Regulations, 1896.

The Chin Hills Regulation (Regulation IV) passed on August 13, 1896, had authorized the Deputy Commissioners to order an undesirable outsider to leave the area and to tax the residents, permanent or temporary, clans and villages.

“We will enforce all available laws for strict implementation of ILP so that except State’s indigenous tribal communities, no outsiders are granted citizenship,” Khandu said and added that the State government and the people have already cleared its stand on the CAA.

“We have proposed to the Home Ministry to incorporate Constitutional protection for the State in the CAA, before its enactment, after month-long deliberation with all stakeholders, for which Arunachal Pradesh has been exempted from the Act,” the chief minister said.

The amended Citizenship Act says that Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014 after facing religious persecution there, will not be treated as illegal immigrants and will be given Indian citizenship after they reside in India for five years.

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