KSU intensify checking against illegal immigrants

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 31, 2019

SHILLONG: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has demanded the state government to take necessary measures to prevent illegal immigrants from sneaking into the state. 

This came after the publication of the final draft of the National Register of Citizen (NRC) in Assam, in which 19 lakh persons have been excluded from the list. 

The KSU on Saturday has also set up checkpoints in three locations at Byrnihat in Ri Bhoi District and Umtyra & Malidor in East Jaintia Hills District to prevent “spill-over” of immigrants into the state.

“We demand the state government to take necessary steps in strengthening the inter-state borders to prevent illegal entry by outsiders into the state,” KSU general secretary Donald V Thabah said. 

Stating that Meghalaya shares around 900 km long inter-state border with Assam, Thabah said the students’ body is of the apprehension that the over 19 lakh persons rejected by the NRC may try to enter the state due to absence of strong mechanism in place.  

In view of the delay in the setting up of the entry-exit points, the KSU has further suggested the state government to set up temporary entry-exit points to check entry of outsiders into the state.

“We also request the government to consider deploying adequate security personnel in the infiltration check gates,” Thabah said. 

At the same time, the students’ body has also the dorbar shnongs, seng samle and village defence party to be vigilant and not to allow non-indigenous people without proper documents to reside in their respective villages and localities. 

According to the KSU leader, even if they possess an EPIC card but if they are not included in the NRC list, the document is treated as invalid. 

Meanwhile, the KSU further demanded that it is high time for the state government to implement an NRC-like exercise to flush out illegal immigrants from Meghalaya. 

Asked, a leader of the KSU North Khasi Hills informed that as many as 20 persons have been detected and pushed back as they were entering Ri Bhoi District without valid documents.