The Hynñiewtrep Integrated Territorial Organization (HITO), a prominent group from Meghalaya, has formally written to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, voicing serious apprehension over recent comments made by Bangladesh's chief adviser, Muhammad Yunus. The organization labeled Yunus's statements during his visit to China two months ago as "misleading" and "inimical to India's sovereignty."
Controversial Claims and Strategic Concerns
At the heart of the dispute is Yunus's assertion that Bangladesh acts as the "only guardian of the ocean" for the seven landlocked states of Northeast India. HITO, in its memorandum, strongly objected to this characterization. The group also took issue with what it described as "habitual and repeated references" to India's strategically vital Siliguri Corridor, often called the "Chicken's Neck."
HITO supported Chief Minister Sarma's earlier firm reaction to these remarks, noting it resonated with people across the Northeast. The organization pointed out a strategic contradiction, stating, "while Bangladesh seeks to draw attention to India’s Siliguri Corridor, Bangladesh itself has two narrow and far more vulnerable 'chicken necks' of its own." It argued that such commentary was both provocative and strategically unwise.
Security and Demographic Fears Amplified
The group contended that Yunus's remarks gain alarming significance against a backdrop of regional instability. HITO cited the "prevailing unstable political situation in Bangladesh" and the "frequent arrests and detection of illegal Bangladeshi nationals across several North Eastern States."
This combination, the memorandum warned, raises profound security, demographic, and socio-political concerns for the indigenous populations of the region. The organization framed the statements as part of a larger pattern that threatens the delicate social fabric of the northeastern states.
A Call for Policy Action: Extending the Inner Line Permit
In response to these perceived threats, HITO has urged Himanta Biswa Sarma, in his capacity as chairman of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), to champion a key policy change. The group has called for leading a demand to extend the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system to the entire northeast, specifically including Meghalaya and Assam.
Currently, the ILP, regulated under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation of 1873, is in force in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur, and Sikkim as a Protected Area Permit. HITO argued that "given the present circumstances, it has become imperative to uniformly extend the ILP regime" to protect indigenous peoples, their land, identity, and cultural heritage. The memorandum positions this as a necessary step to strengthen the region's defensive framework against unauthorized entry and demographic pressure.
The appeal from the Meghalaya-based organization underscores the ongoing sensitivity around borders, identity, and sovereignty in India's northeastern region, linking international diplomatic comments directly to local security and immigration policies.
