Unchecked illegal immigration: Patton warns of severe consequences  

Says 93 illegal immigrants caught between Jan. and Sep. this year, 43 in Aug. alone

DIMAPUR — Nagaland could face severe demographic shifts and cultural erosion if illegal immigration is not addressed, Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton said on Monday, raising concerns about the state becoming “another Tripura”— a reference to the north-eastern state grappling with the consequences of large-scale migration.

He said this during a consultative meeting to discuss strategies for tackling illegal immigration with civil society organisations and student bodies at the Rhododendron Hall, Police Complex, in Chümoukedima.

The meeting follows months of pointed questions and criticisms from tribal organisations and student groups demanding stricter enforcement of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system following the unrest in Bangladesh.

Need for collective action

Acknowledging the anxieties surrounding illegal immigration, Patton said that an ‘ILP implementation committee’, formed five months ago, has submitted its report to the state government. The government is seriously reviewing the report and will “very soon” issue a notification based on the committee’s recommendations, he said.

If the notification is not satisfactory, the matter will be taken up for discussion with stakeholders again, he added.

Patton said that relying on government action alone is not enough, and called for collective action. “It is the responsibility of everyone to work together to achieve our goal of effectively regulating entry into Nagaland”, he said.

Emphasising the gravity of the situation, he drew a parallel with Tripura, a state that has undergone significant demographic and cultural shifts due to migration, leading to social and political tensions. He went on to state that even intermarriage with non-locals was a growing concern and implored the attendees to consider the potential consequences of inaction, asking, “What will their children be called?”

On the ILP system, he said that the government has plans to modernise the application process.

The physical ILP form is currently being issued from all the Nagaland Houses located in different states of India, Patton explained, adding that the government is working on making this an online system for greater efficiency.

Urging for patience, he maintained that the state government is going to take a decision very soon.

The check gate at Chümoukedima will be reinstalled very soon, he said while asking the gathering to differentiate between illegal immigrants and ILP holders.

Stating that the real issue is illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, the deputy chief minister went on to state that the police and administration in Chümoukedima, Niuland and Dimapur are tirelessly working to check illegal immigrants.

Patton also informed that 19 out of the 41 trains that pass through Dimapur Railway Station make daily stops at the station. This, he said, posed a significant challenge for authorities working to identify and apprehend illegal immigrants.

Despite these challenges, he said that the police force has apprehended 93 illegal immigrants between January and September 2024, with 43 of those arrests occurring in August alone.

In addition, over 200 individuals had been identified as potential ILP violators, and over 50 arrests made in connection with those cases. To enhance surveillance and deter illegal entry and detect criminal activities, the state police have conducted flash mobile vehicle checks at over 250 checkpoints throughout the year, Patton said.

Nagaland Director General of Police (DGP) Rupin Sharma urged citizens to be vigilant and refrain from sharing personal identity documents that could be used to obtain fraudulent residency papers. He noted that several individuals in Nagaland acquire indigenous certificates or local residency certificates through various channels and emphasised the need to “tighten these mechanisms”.

Also stressing the need to differentiate between illegal immigrants and ILP holders, he assured that the state has not noticed any footfall of illegal immigrants into Nagaland after the turmoil in Bangladesh.

CSOs demand action

During the meeting, various organisations—including the Naga Council Dimapur (NCD), Western Sumi Youth Front (WSYF), and the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF)—voiced their concerns and demanded concrete action.

The NCD president stressed the long history of the issue and urged for balanced solutions that protected both the commercial interests of Dimapur and the rights of Nagaland’s indigenous communities.

He stressed the need for finding ways for all residents, both local and non-local, to coexist peacefully and contribute to Dimapur’s economy. However, he cautioned against oversimplifying the issue, emphasising that Dimapur’s status as a commercial hub should not overshadow the importance of preserving the distinct identity and rights of its indigenous population.

The NSF president demanded the reinstatement of ILP implementation in Dimapur, which was extended to the commercial hub in 2019 but suspended in 2023. “Implementing ILP is the only way to curb illegal immigration,” he argued.

He also clarified that the NSF is not against any ‘outsider’ but rather against illegal entry into the state.

Meanwhile, a WSYF representative proposed practical solutions, including setting up of dedicated ILP registration and monitoring cells at key transit points in the districts of Dimapur, Chümoukedima and Niuland, along with strengthening border control.

If the government fails to do so, the WSYF, and the people of the three districts would be compelled to implement their own mechanisms, he asserted.

Representatives of other CSOs and student bodies also spoke during the meeting advocating for stricter enforcement of the ILP system in all the districts of Nagaland to protect the well-being of the indigenous Naga population.

Also read: DNSU urges ILP implementation in Dimapur