AASU chief adviser SamujjalBhattacharya on Sunday lashed out at state government for failing to bring theState within the ILP provisions.
"According to the 'BengalEastern Frontier Regulation-1873', ILP was very much prevalent in the erstwhileundivided districts of Assam namely Kamrup, Darrang, Nowgong, Sibsagar,Lakhimpur (Garo Hills), Khasi and Jaintia Hills, Naga Hills, and Cachar.However, it was not implemented." Bhattacharya said.
The Regulation pointed out that"It shall be lawful for the (State government) Power to prescribe from time totime to alter by notification the Official Gazette a line to be called'The Inner Line" in each or any of the named districts."
"This notwithstanding, the Centre on December11, 2019 issued a notification whereby the above mentioned districts weresubstituted by the line: States of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, andareas of districts of the State of Nagaland as notified from time to time." Bhattacharyasaid.
"When Manipur got the ILP, Assamcan also get it. The AASU and the NESO have been demanding ILP in the entireNortheast, including Assam. Sadly enough, this is not being done", Bhattacharyaadded.
The AASU leader challenged "the State government to issue apublic statement as to whether it has not done a grievous harm with respect toAssam by not bringing Assam within the ILP ambit."
The Inner Line Permit (ILP) is the official travel documentissued by the Govt. of India for allowing inward travel of an Indian citizeninto a protected/restricted area for a limited period. It is an obligatory forIndian citizen from outside a protected state to obtain a permit for enteringinto the restricted Region. This system is an effort by the Govt. of India toregulate the movement to certain region or State located near its InternationalBorder.
