Naga groups worry about rise in displaced people into Nagaland amid Assam eviction drive
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Assam’s BJP-led government carried out eviction drives in three districts that affected thousands of people, mostly Bengali-speaking Muslims | Photo: AP
Guwahati: The recent eviction drives in Assam have raised concerns among the Nagas in neighbouring Nagaland, who fear a possible influx of displaced individuals into their state.
Responding to the situation, the Konyak Students’ Union—the main student organisation representing the Konyak Nagas—issued a directive on July 23 instructing its member units, particularly those in the Tizit and Naginimora regions, to mobilise 100 volunteers each day at all entry points into Mon district.
According to the notification, these volunteers have been assigned to screen all non-local entrants to ensure they possess valid Inner Line Permits (ILPs) and appropriate identification, TNIE reported.
The ILP, a requirement under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation of 1873, is a travel document that Indian citizens must carry to enter protected states such as Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Arunachal Pradesh for temporary stays.
The students’ union emphasised that anyone lacking the necessary documentation should be turned away at the border. It also urged the district administration to temporarily halt the issuance of new ILPs for at least a month to allow thorough verification processes and prevent unregulated entry into Mon district.
The Konyak Students’ Union further emphasised that all local units and relevant authorities are expected to strictly follow the directives issued, citing the need to protect indigenous rights and ensure community security.
Similar apprehensions have been voiced by the Western Sumi Students’ Union, which recently raised alarm over the presence of suspected illegal immigrants near Naga-inhabited regions along the Assam–Nagaland border.
The union warned that these settlements, situated close to Nagaland’s villages, could intensify tensions, lead to displacement, and increase demographic pressure on already vulnerable border communities.
Meanwhile, the Assam government is pressing ahead with land survey operations in Uriamghat, a border area in Golaghat district adjacent to Nagaland, ahead of a planned eviction campaign. Following the surveys, several people reportedly left the area on their own.
Over the past few months, the BJP-led government in Assam has carried out multiple eviction drives across three districts, displacing thousands—many of whom are Bengali-speaking Muslims. In Goalpara district, a recent eviction operation turned violent, resulting in the death of one person and injuries to several others, including police and forest department officials.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has stated that the government has so far reclaimed 1.29 lakh bighas of encroached land and that such operations will continue.
