By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) has urged the State Government to expedite the process of implementing the Inner Line Permit for checking the unabated influx of illegal migrants and foreign nationals to ensure the survival of the microscopic indigenous population of the State.
“We strongly feel that that the Government should take a stand to address the problem of influx on a war footing. We would also like to see that a strong preventive mechanism is immediately put in place to prevent further inflow of unwanted elements into our State,” KHNAM president Pyndapborthiaw Saiborne said in a letter submitted to Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma here on Thursday.
He said that the simultaneous introduction/implementation of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act, 1873, (known as the Inner Line Permit) and the 3-tier ID Card System (with 1971 as a cut-off date/year) in the whole State is the need of the hour.
According to Saiborne, inventing a ‘new mechanism’ for preventing Influx will take much time as this will have to be approved by the Cabinet, passed by the Legislative Assembly and finally approved by the Governor.
He suggested that pending the implementation of the ILP and the 3-tier 10 Card System, the Government must immediately strengthen the Infiltration Check Gate at Byrnihat and ensure strict checking 24×7.
“There is also a need to have surprise checking in certain pockets of Shillong and in other parts of the State such as Khliehriat, Lad Rymbai and other areas which is a safe havens for illegal migrants,” the KHNAM president said.
Referring to the Provisional Census Report (2011), Saiborne said that the report clearly shows that the average growth of population in the State is much higher than the national average.
“This is an ominous portent which needs to be taken seriously to avoid Meghalaya going the Tripura way,” he said while adding that the fear and apprehension of the people of being marginalized by outsiders in their own land is ‘real’.
The KHNAM president further stated that the ‘ugly incidents’ which occurred in 1979, 1987 and 1992 are clear pointers of this fear.