SHILLONG: The State government has moved the Meghalaya High Court challenging its ruling that people from Bangladesh who settled in the state before March 24 1971 be treated as Indians and should be enrolled in the electoral rolls.
Informing this in the state Assembly on Monday, Deputy Chief Minister Rowell Lyngdoh said that the Ri-Bhoi Deputy Commissioner filed an appeal in this regard.
Lyngdoh was replying to a call attention motion moved by Sohra legislator Titosstarwell Chyne.
Earlier while moving the motion, Chyne said that the State Government should appeal before the Division Bench to quash the ruling without any further delay.
The Sohra legislator said that out of the total 29 lakh population in the State as per the 2011 census, the Khasi-Jaintia population is 47 per cent while the Garo population is 27 per cent.
Chyne also said that there were several politicians who patronize these Bangladeshi illegal migrants for their vote bank.
‘Personally, I would not want to be elected with the help of the votes of the illegal immigrants,” he said.
“We are also aware that there is a Bangladeshi colony within the heart of the city. This itself is an indication that the situation is alarming,” Sohra legislator added.