The Hynñiewtrep Integrated Territorial Organisation (HITO) has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah for extension of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) to the entire state of Meghalaya.
According to HITO there are critical issues of internal security, demographic integrity, and border protection in Meghalaya, particularly geopolitical developments in the region.
HITO president Donbok Dkhar stated that the recent conflict and ceasefire between India and Pakistan along the western front has highlighted the need for heightened internal security across sensitive border regions, including those in the North East.
He expressed concern over credible intelligence reports of increased infiltration along the India-Bangladesh border, including Meghalaya, and the establishment of a strategic base by Pakistan’s ISI in Bangladesh, posing a serious national security threat.
“The growing number of illegal infiltrations into Meghalaya, allegedly facilitated through monetary inducements, raises pressing concerns,” Dkhar said. “These activities violate India’s sovereignty and potentially create gateways for sleeper cells or terror activities that could destabilize the region’s peace and social fabric.”
Dkhar also highlighted reports of fraudulent documentation, including fake Aadhaar and EPIC cards used by infiltrators to access welfare schemes and blend into the local population. He emphasized the need for urgent redress.
The recent murder incident in Sohra, involving individuals from outside the region, underscores the need for better regulatory mechanisms to monitor and manage the inflow of non-local individuals into sensitive areas of Meghalaya, Dkhar said.
“Given these developments, we strongly urge the immediate and full extension of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system to the entire state of Meghalaya,” Dkhar emphasized. “The ILP has proven to be a vital constitutional safeguard in other Northeastern states, protecting indigenous populations and maintaining demographic and cultural balance.”
Dkhar outlined the benefits of extending ILP to Meghalaya, including enhanced border security, safeguarding indigenous communities, detecting and deterring anti-national elements, and reinforcing national efforts against cross-border terrorism and infiltration.
“The need for implementing ILP in Meghalaya is no longer a matter of cultural protection alone but a strategic necessity in the interest of national security,” Dkhar stressed. “We appeal to the office to urgently consider and expedite the extension of the ILP regime to Meghalaya, in consultation with the state government and local institutions.”
