Morung Express News
Dimapur | May 10
The Dimapur Naga Students’ Union (DNSU) has called for installing a strict Inner Line Permit (ILP) mechanism in the state. According to the DNSU, while the state government may have notified the ILP regime — a visit or travel permit for people who are not indigenous domicile to the state — across the state, more recently in Dimapur, Niuland and Chümoukedima, it exists only on paper and not in deed.
“If the state government is really concerned for the indigenous communities of Nagaland, it is high time that a strict and robust ILP checking system is implemented in Dimapur,” said the Assistant General Secretary of the union, Azo Wetsah at a press conference in Dimapur on May 10.
The press conference was also addressed by DNSU President, Hinoto P Aomi and General Secretary Michael Kath.
Wetsah reminded that the DNSU has taken up the issue several times in the past. More recently, he said that it has submitted a representation to the Nagaland Governor in April, last month. Earlier in November 2024, it had written to the state government, appealing the Chief Minister for ensuring strict implementation, while also setting up ILP checkpoints in all the entry points into Dimapur.
DNSU President, Hinoto P Aomi, held that the governor should understand the stand of the Nagas on the issue of ILP, if he really loves the Nagas. Aomi equated not implementing the ILP in Dimapur, Niuland and Chümoukedima to “a non violent genocide of the ethnic identity of the Nagas.”
On the demand of the state’s Marwari community for enabling them the right to purchase land within the Dimapur Municipal area, the DNSU President termed it unjustified. On March 28, 2025, the Shree Marwari Samaj wrote to the state government proposing a “European Ward” like system prevailing in Shillong, in the Dimapur Municipal area that would allow “non-Naga Permanent Citizens” of the state the right to purchase land, besides other rights “like that of other respectable and legal citizens of the state.”
Aomi admitted that the Marwari community is a minority in the state, but in a broader societal or Indian context, he argued that they are not as small a minority like the Nagas. According to him, December 1, 1963 must be the uniform cut-off date to be eligible for attaining Non-Naga indigenous inhabitant status.
In September 2024, the state government had specified, or announced, three ILP categories for non-indigenous inhabitants in Dimapur, Niuland and Chümoukedima.
Individuals, who settled in Dimapur before December 1, 1963 come under Category-I, and those who settled in between December 1, 1963 and November 21, 1979, come under category-II. No ILP will be required for these two categories.
Category-III will include individuals, who settled in Dimapur on or after November 22, 1979, and they will require ILP.
