Kohima: Prof. Nani Bath of Rajiv Gandhi University pushed for regional solidarity among the eight northeastern states to defend indigenous land, culture, and resources. He warned that current political trends, specifically the Uniform Civil Code, threaten local autonomy. Bath spoke on the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation of 1873 during a seminar held by the Naga Students' Federation at the Dimapur Town Hall.
The British designed the regulation to secure their own commercial interests while managing tribal conflicts. It established an Inner Line that limited outsider access. Arunachal Pradesh enforces the regulation, including Section 7, which stops non-natives from owning land. Bath flagged a growing trend where outsiders bypass this law by holding property through local proxies. Massive projects threaten these protections. He cited the 11,200 MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project, which could bring up to 300,000 outside workers into the region.
New rules notified in March 2026 further complicate the issue. Project managers can now sponsor up to 200 workers at once under the Inner Line Permit system. Bath pointed to past efforts to shield the region, noting Nagaland's 1984 initiative and the Mizo National Front's push to move the regulation into the Ninth Schedule. He believes that legal maneuver could provide stronger safeguards. Unity is mandatory. "Otherwise, individual states would not be able to stand against the onslaught of those in power at the Centre," he said.
Updated at 29th August 2026 at 10:00am
Prof. Ch Priyoranjan Singh of Manipur University argued the permit is no golden wand for the region's deep-seated struggles with migration and unemployment. He warned against relying on the system as a crutch, pushing instead for states to build their own economic muscle through better investment and job policies. He blamed the region's insular mindset for holding back progress and called for data-driven decisions to fix the demographic balance.
Nagaland Home Commissioner Abhijit Sinha pushed for a middle ground where the permit functions as a regulatory tool rather than a blockade against investment. The state moved the process online in 2025 to streamline entry for business travelers and tourists. Officials now rely on hotels and landlords to report visitors, while recent notifications exempt long-term residents settled before 1963 from permit requirements. Gauhati High Court has also validated the state's reach in extending these protections to areas like Dimapur.
Dr. Samujjal Bhattacharjya of the North East Students Organisation joined the chorus for an all-region National Register of Citizens. He argued that the system must make locals feel secure while keeping the door open for guests, demanding that states like Assam, Meghalaya, and Tripura adopt the Inner Line regime to lock in stronger protections for indigenous populations.
Updated at 29th August 2026 at 9:50pm
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio weighed in at the Dimapur seminar, framing the permit system as a necessary shield for indigenous land and culture that must also drive economic growth. He called for a balanced approach to the 1873 regulation, warning against the misuse or abuse of the law. Rio championed the Gauhati High Court ruling that upheld the state government's power to extend the permit regime into Dimapur, Chümoukedima, and Niuland as a clear win for the Naga cause and Article 371A protections.
The Naga Students' Federation ramped up its pressure on the state government during the event. The group's Inner Line Regulation Commission formally asked the Chief Minister to establish an autonomous commission for Nagaland. They want this new body to have legislative teeth, giving it full authority to write and enforce rules to keep the border system strict and consistent.
The seminar also drew fire from outside the regional consensus. Senior advocate Prashant Bhushan hit back at the legal foundations of the permit system. He argued that forcing citizens to get a pass to enter parts of their own country violates the fundamental right to move freely. He pointed to Article 29 of the Constitution, which protects language and culture, while asserting that the permit serves as an unconstitutional barrier to entry regardless of how easy the application process might be.
Updated at 30th August 2026 at 2:00am
Rio flagged the issue of benami businesses where outsiders hide behind local proxies to evade taxes and drain the state economy. He warned that misusing the 1873 regulation or using it to harass others will eventually backfire on the Naga people themselves. Beyond the permit, the Chief Minister firmly rejected proposals to fence the Indo-Myanmar border, calling it an impractical move that would destroy the lives of communities with fields and homes split by the line. He also pressed tribal bodies to break the deadlock on petroleum extraction, pointing to a tripartite deal signed on June 11, 2026, between Nagaland, Assam, and the Centre that promises a 50-50 revenue split.
The Naga Students' Federation argues that the current system is a mess, with enforcement power scattered across police, municipal bodies, and trade offices. They claim this fragmentation leaves officials without reliable data and forces student groups to fill the gap, occasionally leading to the harassment of non-indigenous residents. To fix this, they want a dedicated, autonomous commission with the legal muscle to set its own rules and run the border system properly.
Comments