The fear of being swamped by those from outside the state, Mizoram's influential student union, MZP, is hell-bent on eliminating danger
On the vast and colourful demographic canvas of the Northeast, one group has always stood out바카라the 바카라outsiders바카라 as they are often referred to by the natives of the region. It is this group of people바카라most of them refugees, many migrant workers and a whole lot of traders from across India바카라who have dominated the region바카라s political and social discourse, and often seen as encroachers and invaders, as a threat to the identity and culture of the land.
In Mizoram, a speck of highlands bordering Myanmar, the fear of the people being overrun by those from outside the state has assumed a different dimension. So much so that the state바카라s influential and apex student union, the Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), has decided to launch an awareness campaign among the youth against marrying non-Mizos. The reason, says MZP president L. Ramdinliana Renthlei, is to 바카라help the native Mizos protect their culture, tradition and religion바카라. He asserts that more measures will be taken to spread awareness among 바카라Mizo girls and boys not to marry other community people or non-tribals바카라.
In other parts of the country, such a move might be seen as chauvinistic and racist. But a large number of the people in the Northeast, especially in states with a tribal majority, views such diktats as a necessary evil, needed to protect their identity, land and resources. States like Mizoram, Meghalaya and Manipur enjoy constitutional provisions that bar 바카라outsiders바카라 from buying land. Last year, a tribal council in Meghalaya had even introduced a bill to ban Khasi women from inheritance rights if they married outside the tribe. The bill fell through because of opposition from women바카라s groups.
Non-Mizos travelling to the state are required to obtain a special pass바카라the inner-line permit (ILP)바카라for a specific period of time. The northeastern states, for decades now, have been battling what many see as the single-most problem in the region, influx of undocumented and illegal immigrants, mainly from Bangladesh. It is for this reason that most states favour a citizenship record similar to National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam.
바카라The idea of maintaining 바카라purity of blood바카라 is quite common across most Indian communities, including the tribal people in the Northeast. The Mizos, Nagas and Khasis are not similar to Haryanvi Jats or Bihari Thakurs, but when it comes to ensuring that their women marry within the caste or tribe, they become quite similar,바카라 says political commentator Samrat Choudhury, who grew up in Shillong. 바카라What is worrying in the case of the Northeast is that people there do not view their own caste and race prejudices as prejudices at all. Even sensible, educated and socially liberal northeasterners who might sneer at the so-called backwardness of Bihari or Haryanvi society will, without any self-awareness, defend any and all attempts at maintaining the imaginary pristine purity of their own societies, whether by controlling women or by forcing out outsiders.바카라
Many among the Northeast바카라s natives, however, are willing to live with such a taint so long as 바카라our identity바카라 is protected. 바카라I don바카라t care what they make of us,바카라 says Angshuman Baruah, a PhD student in Guwahati. 바카라The Assamese are a small community바카라and we are fighting against millions of illegal immigrants who could one day become the majority in Assam, take over the political space like they did in Tripura. Are we supposed to wait for that day and do nothing until then?바카라
In Mizoram, the MZP reckons, the time to 바카라do it바카라 has arrived. Hundreds of its members will fan out바카라go to schools and colleges, tell youngsters about what the organisation claims to be a clear and present danger.
By Abdul Gani in Guwahati