Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh announced his government’s decision to allow those Kuki families evicted from Assam whose ancestors were residents of the state before 1961 to settle in the state.
The decision came at a time when the state is working to verify the identities of individuals displaced by recent evictions in Assam.
Speaking to the local media in Imphal, Singh said, “The Home Department has contacted Assam authorities, who informed us about the eviction of 500-600 individuals. We have received a list and found that some are from areas like Ukhrul and other rural parts of Manipur. We have instructed the concerned deputy commissioners and superintendents of police to verify their village origins and the duration of their residence.”
The year 1961 holds importance in Manipur as it marks the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system, a regulation used to identify and control the influx of illegal immigrants into the state.
Last week, the chief executive member of Assam’s Karbi Autonomous Council revealed that approximately 500 Kuki families from Manipur sought refuge in the Karbi Anglong district due to the ongoing violence in their home state. However, the council decided not to allow these families to settle in Karbi Anglong and announced their return to Manipur.
In a related development, the Manipur Police deported 29 individuals from Assam employed in a bakery in Mayang Imphal Bengoon of the Imphal West district for violation of ILP norms.
Singh clarified that the deportees were found to be from Assam based on their Aadhaar cards and were apprehended for not complying with the state’s ILP regulations. “Their presence violated the ILP rules of Manipur. As per the ILP system, permits are issued only to labourers engaged in government or private construction works. These individuals were working in a bakery, which is not permitted under the ILP guidelines,” Singh explained.
While Singh’s offer to resettle displaced Kukis with ancestral ties reflects compassion at a time of ethnic unrest in the state, the firm enforcement of ILP rules signals the government’s commitment to maintaining order and legal compliance.