By NE NOW NEWS
Guwahati: The All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) has firmly opposed calls for exempting members of the Mising community from obtaining an Inner Line Permit (ILP) to enter Arunachal Pradesh, asserting that the permit system remains a crucial legal safeguard for the state’s indigenous population.
The response comes after the Assam-based Takam Mising Porin Kebang (TMPK) raised objections to the requirement that Misings obtain an ILP before entering Arunachal Pradesh. Reacting to the demand, AAPSU president Meje Taku stated that the permit regime is rooted in constitutional and legal provisions and cannot be altered based on shared ancestry, cultural connections or historical links.
AAPSU acknowledged that the Mising community shares deep cultural and historical bonds with several indigenous groups of Arunachal Pradesh, including the Adi, Nyishi, Galo, Apatani and Tagin tribes. However, the union maintained that such relationships do not exempt any individual from complying with the state’s laws governing entry and residence.
According to the student body, the ILP framework is backed by the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation of 1873 and supported by constitutional protections, including Article 371(H), which grants special provisions for the administration of Arunachal Pradesh.
The union reiterated that every non-Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribe (non-APST) individual must obtain a valid permit before entering the state, regardless of ethnic origin or historical association with local tribes.
AAPSU also warned against creating exceptions based on cultural or historical ties, arguing that such a move could gradually erode a system that has protected the interests of indigenous communities for more than a century. It stressed that weakening the permit mechanism could have long-term implications for the state’s demographic balance and tribal rights.
At the same time, the organisation appealed for calm and urged all stakeholders to avoid statements that could trigger unnecessary tensions or affect social harmony. It clarified that its position should not be interpreted as opposition to the Mising community, which it described as an indigenous group with a rich cultural legacy.
The union further called on the Arunachal Pradesh government to continue implementing the ILP system fairly and consistently across the state while encouraging dialogue and cooperation within the framework of existing laws.