Sikkim won’t be safe without ILP: DR Thapa

GANGTOK,: State BJP president DR Thapa has once again emphasized the need for implementing the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Sikkim to control the unchecked influx of migrant workers, which has generated concerns of potential demographic shifts in the sensitive border State.

“I urge the State government to strongly press for ILP and we will support it. The biggest threat to Sikkim is the migrant workers. Sikkim won’t be safe without ILP,” said the newly re-elected State BJP president in a media interaction here on Saturday.

Thapa contended that there are more than 4 lakh migrant workers in Sikkim while the local population stands at around 6 lakh. He pointed to ‘One Nation One Ration Card’ (ONORC), a Central initiative which he had earlier strongly opposed.

“I was a BJP MLA that time but despite this, I strongly objected to the ONORC proposal in the Assembly. Today there are more than four lakh migrant workers in Sikkim and once they start getting rations under ONORC here, their spouses will also come and their population will become 8 lakh and continuously increase. Won’t our demography change? That time I had repeatedly stated in the Assembly that there must be ILP system in Sikkim,” said the State BJP president. He had served as a BJP MLA in the previous term from 2019 to 2024.

To a question, Thapa maintained that ILP can be approved by the Centre for Sikkim considering it is a sensitive border State which shares international borders with China, Nepal, and Bhutan, with Bangladesh also close by.

“Other Northeastern States like Meghalaya has ILP. Sikkim is a sensitive border State. If Sikkim do not get ILP now, then when? After Sikkim is finished? ILP for Sikkim can be achieved if the government seriously pursue it,” said the State BJP president.

Thapa maintained that measures like temporary work permit system and labour registration are not a permanent solution to address the influx issue. 

Recently, the State administration has decided to enforce strict verification and registration measures to address unchecked influx and unverified stays. Hoteliers, commercial establishments and companies have been directed to register their workers with the Labour department. Similarly, house owners have to do police verification of their tenants.

The State BJP president, to a question, dismissed the Sikkim-Darjeeling merger issue as an “impossible” proposition, and does not deserve discussions in media or public spaces.

“Sikkim and Darjeeling are different regions and have different issues. Some few people are raising this merger issue. The State BJP and the BJP high command do not support this issue. This is not happening, it is impossible…we won’t allow it to happen. Let us not discuss something which is impossible. I urge people not to discuss this, if we keep on discussing then a public opinion may build up,” said Thapa.