Editor,
The three words of Inner Line Permit (ILP) for those who, out of that issue, have been elected to the District Councils or Legislative Assembly taking the indigenous populace for a ride and for many more aspirants, is ‘I Like Politics’ (ILP) or ‘I love Politics (ILP).
So what is politics then? It is no more a study which deals with “the state and government” but “involvement in governance”.
History tells us that a minority has to be protected somehow, someway. The Constitution says so. In our State, it is the government that does not want. Who is the government then? In a democratic state, each and every one of us residents of the state is part and parcel of the government. But, the elected representatives and the bureaucrats are running the show. The government servants are only the tools or limbs who prepare and execute the works.
Talking about execution, Inner Line Permit had been there for many decades. Now, it was not supposed to be an issue at all. Even the likes of David Scott and later on, the British Governors, found that our age-old institutions are the best democratic institutions. We have the Dorbar-Dong, as the primary unit, then the Dorbar-Shnong, the Dorbar-Raid and the Dorbar-Hima at the apex.
If we really want to check intrusion, influx or whatever may be the term, we can nip at the primary level. After independence, the Indian Dominion has carved out a niche for us in the framework of the Sixth Schedule. So were the integrity of chiefs such as Nokmas, Dollois, Lyngdohs and Sirdars still intact. Not like Maharajas whose powers have been snatched away.
We are the “race” that can be easily differentiated from the other tribe or races and even after two-three generations, it is easily distinguishable between the pure and the cross bred.
After the State which was created in 1972 and the District Councils as protectors of all these traditional institutions came into being, if these ILP issues are to be asked, the District Councils are the answers.
Much hype has been made. What about the Innermost Line Permit (ILP) of ours that has been breached (marrying a lady to a man of patrilineal race or tribe)? Had their prodigy followed the patrilineal way, half of the population would have changed sides.
From these issues, the ILP is being used as Individual Launching Pads (ILP). The indigenous people have rightly sent/elected what they thought were right. These very same people in the blink of an eye, from being the Indigenous Legal Protector (ILP) like a chameleon changes colours to Issuer of License & Permit (ILP) or Influx Legal Providers (ILP). Later, this very same ILP turns into I Love Purse (ILP).
Bishon Neri
Shillong
