Meghalaya Group Urges Assam CM to Lead Push for ILP Across Northeast

The HITO frames its appeal as a safeguard for indigenous rights in light of recent remarks by Bangladesh’s interim chief adviser.

Overview

Hynniewtrep Integrated Territorial Organisation wrote to Himanta Biswa Sarma on December 29, asking him as NEDA chairman to seek Inner Line Permit coverage for all northeastern states.
HITO specifically pressed for inclusion of Meghalaya and Assam and called for a stronger ILP framework to protect land, identity and cultural heritage.
The letter cites Muhammad Yunus’s comments about being the “only guardian of the ocean” for the Northeast and references to the Siliguri Corridor, which HITO termed misleading and inimical to India’s interests.
The group pointed to political instability in Bangladesh and frequent detections of illegal Bangladeshi nationals in the region as reinforcing security and demographic concerns.
ILP currently operates in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland, with Sikkim using Protected Area Permits, and HITO acknowledges ILP is not a full solution while seeking a meeting with the Assam CM; no official response has been reported.