SHILLONG: The Movement for Indigenous People’s Rights and Livelihood (MIPRL)-Meghalaya has called for the introduction of the three-tier card system instead of ILP to address the issue of influx of illegal immigrants.
“We feel that the card system will be the best option to combat influx since the ILP will not be applicable in Jaintia Hills,” MIRPL-Meghalaya vice chairman Erwin K Sutnga claimed while addressing newsmen here on Saturday.
“We are already aware that the regulation cannot be enforced in Garo Hills as the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873 was repealed in 1897,” he said.
Sutnga also sought the immediate intervention of the Centre to regulate the entry of outsiders into Meghalaya by calling for empowering of the State Government as per Article 371 of the Constitution.
Sutnga claimed that the movement decided to make this demand in the wake of the State Government’s recent directive to the KHADC not to prevent non-Khasis from residing in the village since doing so will violate Article 19 of the Constitution (fundamental rights).
The MIPRL vice chairman said that the letter sent by the government to the KHADC on March 18 pertained to the Khasi Hills Autonomous District (Village Administration) Bill, 2014.
According to him, the directive of the state government will only encourage influx.