Ex-PAN urges Nagaland CM to urgently implement RIIN, warning effective ILP enforcement needs safeguards against illegal immigration.
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DIMAPUR — Sounding an alarm over potential influx of illegal immigrants into Nagaland, the Ex-Parliamentarians Association of Nagaland (Ex-PAN) has urged Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio to immediately operationalise the Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN) to ensure effective enforcement of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) regime across the state.
In a representation submitted to the chief minister, the association stated that while it welcomed the government’s decision to extend the ILP to the entire state, including Dimapur, the move would fall short unless supported by a robust mechanism to distinguish bona fide citizens from illegal settlers.
It cautioned that recent eviction drives in neighbouring Assam could push undocumented migrants, particularly from Bangladesh, towards Nagaland due to its porous borders.
The Ex-PAN stressed that strict implementation of the ILP, without infringing on the constitutional rights of genuine Indian citizens living and working in the state, was the only effective safeguard against demographic pressure. For this, it asserted, the immediate activation of RIIN was indispensable.
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Recalling that the state government had announced plans to implement RIIN in October 2024, the association expressed disappointment that more than a year later, the process had yet to take off. It pointed out that the final report of the Banuo Z Jamir Commission on RIIN was submitted as far back as July 27, 2020, but remained unimplemented despite repeated assurances.
The association argued that existing systems of indigenous and Scheduled Tribe certificates were flawed and prone to misuse, and that RIIN alone could provide a credible benchmark to identify indigenous inhabitants of Nagaland. Such a database, it stated, would strengthen enforcement of ILP and other legal safeguards.
On the modality of implementation, the Ex-PAN suggested that the government could begin the physical registration exercise either with indigenous Nagas or through a simultaneous process covering all citizens, but cautioned against starting exclusively with non-Naga or non-tribal communities, warning that such a move could be misconstrued.
Urging the government to act “with right earnest,” the association said keeping RIIN in “cold storage” any longer would only have negative consequences for the state and its people.