Arunachal govt to enforce all laws for strict implementation of ILP: Khandu

Itanagar, Jan 9 (PTI) Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Thursday said the government will enforce all laws for strict implementation of the ILP to ensure that outsiders are not granted citizenship in the state, which is out of the purview of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Khandu, who was responding to a question in the House by two Congress members, said the Chin Hills Regulations, 1896, is also in place in the state and will keep away outsiders.

The Chin Hills Regulation (Regulation IV) authorises deputy commissioners to order any outsider whose presence is "injurious to the peace or good administration" of the area to leave it and to tax residents, permanent or temporary, clans and villages. We will enforce all available laws for strict implementation of the Inner Line Permit so that except the states indigenous tribal communities, no outsiders are granted citizenship, Khandu said in reply to the question by Congress legislators Ninong Ering and Lombo Tayeng.

The chief minister said the state government and the people have already cleared their stand on the CAA. "We had proposed to the union home ministry to incorporate constitutional protection for the state in the CAA, before its enactment, after month-long deliberation with all stakeholders. For this Arunachal Pradesh has been exempted from the Act," he said.

He said that the statement of objects and reasons of the CAA seeks to protect the constitutional guarantee given to the indigenous population of the northeastern state covered under the sixth schedule and the statutory protection given to areas covered under the ILP regime.

Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur are under the ILP regime. Both the Congress leaders expressed apprehension that the Chakma and Hajong refugees residing in Arunachal Pradesh will demand citizenship after the 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 enactment and coming into force of the CAA, Khandu said and added that not only the refugees but other Indians who want to enter the state should obtain ILP.

Khandu had told the assembly on Wednesday that the state government will approach the apex court so that the 73,000-odd Chakma and Hajong refugees, who came from from erstwhile East Pakistan, do not get citizenship with the help of the CAA.

(image courtesy: PTI)