Following directives issued by the union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Arunachal Pradesh government has instructed all districts to immediately constitute district task forces (DTF) to identify undocumented immigrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar and ensure strict enforcement of inner line permit (ILP) provisions.
In May, the ministry had given a 30-day deadline to verify the identity and documentation of individuals suspected to be illegal immigrants from these two countries. Those without valid documents would be liable for deportation. It also instructed states to invoke their statutory powers to detect, detain, and deport illegal immigrants, following which ILP regulations have been implemented more strictly.
If ILP regulations are properly enforced throughout the year, there should be no need for additional efforts to identify individuals, whether documented or undocumented. However, implementation of the regulation is often lax in the state, and sudden crackdowns take place, including the deportation of individuals without valid documentation.
Recently, more than 200 people without ILPs were sent out of the Itanagar Capital Region on Friday after an enforcement drive conducted by the Naharlagun police across Papu Hills, Naharlagun, Nirjuli, and Banderdewa. This indicates that ILP implementation remains inconsistent.