Post NRC draft publication, social vigilantism up in NE

Guwahati (Assam), 3 Aug 2018

Social vigilantism has increased across many North-eastern States following publication of the complete draft of National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam.

While law-enforcement agencies in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland have intensified vigil along the inter-State borders, activists of many social organisations have started their parallel vigil and checking vehicles carrying migrant and immigrant passengers entering their States from Assam.

Organisations like the Khasi Students’ Union in Meghalaya are at the forefront of this vigilantism, erecting special check posts, stopping vehicles and asking passengers to show proof of their Indian citizenship.

Similarly, in Nagaland, Dimapur Urban Council Chairmen Federation and Gaon Buras’ Union (Sadar) have issued instructions to all gaon buras and chairmen of colonies in Dimapur to intensify checks in their localities to thwart any infiltration of immigrants into the commercial hub of the State. Other organisations in Nagaland too have similarly stepped up their activism.

There are reports of similar rise in social vigilantism in Manipur as well.

On the other hand, All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union has set August 17 deadline for people living without Inner Line Permit to leave the State. It threatened to launch “Operation Clean Drive” thereafter to weed out all such people from the State

It is against this backdrop that the All Assam Bengali Hindu Association has petitioned Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh seeking order to the North-eastern States to stop harassing Bengali Hindus.