Warns against unauthorized actions and exploitation
The Dimapur Ao Youth Organisation (DAYO) has expressed strong support for the ongoing enforcement of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Dimapur, Niuland, and Chümoukedima, calling it a “long-overdue step” and a “welcome assertion of law and order.”
In a statement issued to the press, DAYO said it “commends the District Administration for finally taking decisive action by strictly implementing the Inner Line Permit (ILP)… over the past fortnight.” The organization also conveyed its “unwavering support to the administration’s efforts.”
While backing the ILP enforcement, DAYO cautioned that “only magistrates are legally empowered to impose fines.” It stressed that “no unauthorized individual or group should take advantage of the current transitional period.”
Acknowledging that the ILP situation remains “fluid, with sensitive implications and necessary rectifications under review,” DAYO warned that “any exploitation during this time must be condemned and legally addressed.”
The organization stressed on the constitutional and historical basis of ILP enforcement, stating, “Nagaland state is unique as the only state in India created through a political agreement,” adding that “the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR) Act of 1873, which authorizes the ILP, exists to safeguard the indigenous people’s identity, culture, land, and future.”
Reaffirming that “Dimapur has always fallen under the administrative jurisdiction of Nagaland since statehood,” DAYO declared that it “remains unquestionably subject to the BEFR Act” and asserted that “there can be no rollback of ILP implementation in Dimapur — this is non-negotiable.”
The youth body also contextualized the enforcement timeline, reminding that “the establishment of the Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN)… on 29th June 2019 preceded the 9th December notification extending ILP to the entire Dimapur district.” DAYO affirmed, “After five years, it is clear that ILP exemptions specifically for indigenous inhabitants and for landowners based on the cut-off year of 1st December 1963 have been accounted for. The process is now complete and irreversible.”
Raising concerns over broader national developments, DAYO warned that with “the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) already in force and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam having rendered nearly 20 lakh individuals stateless,” Nagaland must “remain vigilant of our birthright under ILP.” Citing the vulnerability of “porous borders,” it called on “all tribal apex bodies of Nagaland to rise to the occasion and urgently verify and object to the double entry of Illegal Bangladeshi Immigrants in the Election Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) in both Assam and Nagaland.”
“This must be done on a war footing,” the group stressed.
Calling the ILP enforcement “not just a legal mechanism, it is a call to action,” DAYO urged the youth of Nagaland to “seize this critical moment,” return to the land, and “embrace the dignity of labour” in order to “lead an economic resurgence rooted in self-reliance and indigenous pride.”
Reiterating its firm stance, the organization added, “DAYO remain firm and resolute in our stand on ILP and call upon fellow youth to follow suit.” It further appealed to the citizens of Dimapur to “channel any ILP related grievances through legally competent authorities,” urging all to “foster understanding and unity, rather than division and confusion, as we collectively uphold the law and protect our future.”