SHILLONG/NONGPOH/NONGSTOIN: A day after the draft list of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) was published in Assam the Khasi Students Union on Tuesday set up infiltration check gates in three districts and detected more than 1,000 immigrants.
More than 200 immigrants were detected at the check gate at Pahammawlein, 20 Mile, in Ri Bhoi and were sent back to Assam.
More than 1,000 illegal immigrants also tried to enter the state from Barak Valley in Jaintia Hills, informed KSU general secretary Donald Thabah.
The union set up the check gate at Ratacherra in East Jaintia Hills.
In West Khasi Hills, the check point was set up at Athiabari. The KSU unit in the district, led by its president John Fisher Nongsiang, was accompanied by members from Mawshynrut, Nongstoin and other circles.
Nongsiang told media persons that many outsiders would forcefully enter the district “as there is no mechanism to tackle influx in the district or the state”.
“Unlike in other states which have implemented the Inner Line Permit outsiders will easily enter our state, especially West Khasi Hills bordering Assam. So the union has to erect an infiltration check gate as the government did not pay attention to our demand,” he added.
More than 100 suspected Bangladeshis who wanted to enter the district through Athiabari were apprehended by KSU members on Tuesday.
at Athiabari in West Khasi Hills on Tuesday. (ST)
In Ri Bhoi, the union members at the check gate were led by president of KSU, North Khasi Hills District unit, Ferdynald K Kharkamni, accompanied by central body organising secretary Biangbor Lyngdoh Paliar.
The KSU members checked all vehicles, including tourist cars, and detected over 200 people who could not prove their citizenship identity.
However, the district administration and the magistrate stopped the checking with the assurance that necessary action would be taken and the union’s demand to form entry and exit points would be fulfilled.
Later, the check gate was removed.
When contacted, Ri Bhoi police said the KSU members were stopped by them and the magistrates while they were checking at the toll plaza and there was no law and order problem.
Kharkamni said the check gate in Byrnihat, which has been operating for years now, failed to identify illegal migrants whereas the union identified several in a day.
He added that the union has demanded that the government should allow few members of KSU and village authorities, along with police, at the existing check gate.
Thabah said KSU is apprehensive about 40 lakh people who were excluded in the final draft NRC trying to enter Meghalaya since the state shares a long border with Assam.
Asserting that the state is not armed with any effective mechanism and laws to curb influx, he said, “We are not going to take any chances and hence we have set up check gates.”
Thabah was determined when he said KSU would not allow Meghalaya to be converted into another Assam.