SHILLONG: The North East Students’ Organization (NESO) has reiterated its demand for exemption of Northeastern states from the purview of India-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship, 1950.
Speaking to The Shillong Times here on Sunday, the NESO chairman Samuel Jyrwa said that the treaty should not be made applicable in the Northeastern states as “this will lead to influx of Nepali citizens to the region.”
A large number of Nepali citizens have been staying in the North East for years, but it is difficult to differentiate a Nepali citizen coming from Darjeeling and Nepal, he said.
He further said that there are reports regarding influx of Nepali citizens to Meghalaya with an intention to work in coal belt areas. He also expressed concern over the influx of Bangladeshi migrants to the state.
Earlier this year, the NESO and KSU in a joint meeting had urged BJP president Amit Shah to exempt Meghalaya from the purview of the Indo-Nepal Treaty besides calling for the need to have a full proof mechanism in place to tackle the influx of illegal immigrants into the State.