The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) and its Inner Line Regulation Commission (ILRC) have jointly urged the Government of Nagaland to “immediately cancel all Inner Line Permits (ILPs) issued to persons originating from Assam districts where eviction operations have been ongoing since July 29, 2025.”
In a letter addressed to the Chief Secretary, the NSF and ILRC stated that the Assam government had initiated its “largest eviction drive to date” on July 29, targeting “over 11,000 bighas of encroached forest land in the Rengma Reserve Forest, Uriamghat area of Golaghat district—near the Assam–Nagaland border.” According to the organizations, the operation, involving “thousands of personnel and heavy machinery,” has triggered “mass displacement—predominantly affecting families from central Assam districts and reportedly of Bengali-speaking Muslim origin.”
Expressing concern over “cross-border movement,” the letter warned that “there is significant risk that individuals from these affected districts may seek entry via Inner Line Permits (ILPs)—potentially undermining both the regulation’s intent and the security of indigenous communities.” The signatories noted that “the state has already issued advisories to border districts regarding incoming evictees.”
The NSF and ILRC have demanded “retroactive voiding of ILPs issued from that date onward, to prevent any loopholes in enforcement,” as well as the “suspension of new ILP issuance to persons from the affected districts until the situation stabilizes and comprehensive verification can be established.”
They further proposed “coordination protocols with Assam officials to obtain and share data on displaced persons and declared origins,” alongside “regular review by the state government to determine when ILP issuance can safely resume to these areas.”
“These steps are necessary to uphold the original purpose of the ILP system: protecting Nagaland’s cultural and demographic integrity during a period of significant regional disruption,” the letter stated.
The signatories—ILRC Chairman Senchumo NSN Lotha, NSF Vice President Mteisuding, and ILRC Member Secretary Seve R Vadeo—said the organizations “stand ready to assist the Nagaland government in implementing these protocols, through awareness campaigns, verification support, and community coordination.”
