Newmai News Network Aizawl | June 22 Barely three months after launching an agitation against the opening of Vishal Mega Mart at Bawngkawn locality in Aizawl, Mizoram Merchant Association (MIMA) today said that it strongly opposed to the plan for opening another "non-Mizo run" mega shopping mall in Aizawl. A statement issued by the merchant body said that some non-tribal traders backed by Mizos have been taking massive efforts to open Bazar India at K Biakchungnunga Building at Chaltlang locality in Aizawl. MIMA said that the opening of Bazar India can be a big threat as it may lead to an economic assimilation of the Mizos. In this connection, leaders of MIMA today met Mizoram Home Minister R Lalzirliana and asked the latter to intervene in the case. They told the Home Minister that opening of Bazar India can pose a big threat to the Mizos as they are vulnerable to economic assimilation in the hands of non-tribal traders. They also told the Home Minister that, they had already met K Biakchungnunga on two occasions and urged him not to go ahead with their plan. MIMA leaders further asked the Home Minister not to issue a 2-year validity of Inner Line Permit (ILP) to non-tribals to run businesses in Mizoram unless such businesses are beyond the "capability of the natives". They also asked the Home Minister to send a team to Arunachal Pradesh to asses Trading Regulation Act enforced by Arunachal government. The Home Minister Lalzirliana on his part assured the MIMA leaders that he will take up the matter with the Home department officials. It can be noted here that in the month of March this year, the executive members of Mizoram Merchant Association (MIMA) General Headquarters and MIMA affiliated member associations had staged sit-in-demonstration in front of LRM building at Bawngkawn in Aizawl, protesting against the opening of Vishal Mega Mart in Mizoram. Leaders of MIMA had alleged that opening of Vishal Mart would open door for non-tribals to engage in trade and thereby leads to social and economic assimilation of the Mizos. They had alleged that although the opening of Vishal Mega Mart might have little impact initially, in the long run it would open doors for many companies run by non-Mizos to engage in trade in Mizoram and "therefore the future of Mizos would be similar to those peoples in the Northeast who have been economically assimilated by non-tribals in their own lands". The apex student body in Mizoram, Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) had also opposed to the opening of Vishal Mega Mart in Aizawl alleging that it was an attempt by non-tribals to run illegal trade in Mizoram. It had also alleged the owners of Vishal Mega Mart tried to open their shop by borrowing Mizoname which was illegal.