How far, Arunachal?

The RAP has its origins in the colonial legacy of the Inner Line Permit ILP System under the East Bengal Frontier Regulation Act, 1873. The ILP system bars the unrestricted movement of non-ethnic Indian citizens as well as foreigners into the state. Prior permission has to be obtained from the state government before entering the state. The uninterrupted continuation of the same is not merely confined to AP, but also extends to Mizoram and Nagaland. As Sanjib Baruah notes, 8216;the idea of exclusive homelands, where certain ethnically defined groups are privileged, has become normalised in the region8217;, as a consequence of a long history of existence of the ILP regime in the region. However, its retention in the post-colonial period continues to generate heated debate.

Looking back at my stint in Arunachal University, now a central university renamed as Rajiv Gandhi University, I am reminded of the never-ending debates we had with our 8216;outsider8217; colleagues over the efficacy of the continued applicability of the ILP system. While a majority would condemn it on grounds of 8216;holding up8217; the development of the state and 8216;museum-ising8217; the tribal people by keeping them in a zoo-like situation, even 8216;pampering8217; them, others would throw their weight in favour of continuing with the practice on grounds similar to those advanced by Nehru and Elwin. Very soon we found ourselves polarised into two camps 8212; the Ghurye-Bose camp and the Nehru-Elwin camp 8212; known respectively for avowed disapproval and unconditional justification of the ILP.

The ferocity of my disagreement with the critics of ILP mellowed somewhat when I learnt during the course of my research on Arunachal that even somebody of Ram Manohar Lohia8217;s stature could not reconcile to the fact that there was a need for retaining the ILP in order to insulate the highly vulnerable indigenous peoples from the sudden influx of outsiders.

A similar reaction was expressed by members of the Indian Parliament in the wake of the 1962 debacle when both Nehru and Elwin were held squarely responsible for the Indian defeat. Only if NEFA had not been kept separate and distinct, the critics argued, the Chinese would never have dared come in. They further argued that the need of the hour was to 8216;multiply the areas of association and contact with the outside world and not to keep them within their narrow circle8217;.

The recent changes in RAP are part of the current drive to aggressively market Arunachal as a 8216;tourist paradise8217;. The reason why there has been no protest so far to the decision to relax the RAP is that it does not pose any long-term threat to the interests of the indigenous peoples. As long as the ILP regime is not tampered with and their exclusive control over land remains intact, they may not mind the foreigners coming in. However, this may not happen if tourism is used as a lever to settle political scores with the neighbouring giant. Also, strategic calculations must not be allowed to overshadow social and environmental considerations while throwing open the state. The focus should be on developing eco-tourism with the active involvement of the local people.

The writer, who teaches political science in Panjab University, is currently working on a book on Chakma refugees in AP