SHILLONG: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) sent a proposal to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to conduct an exercise similar to the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam.
In a letter to Sangma, the union pointed out that an NRC-like exercise should be expedited so that doubtful antecedents will be flushed out of the state, suggesting that the cut-off year should be 1971.
They maintained that such an exercise will be able to identify genuine residents of the state, which will contribute to the continuous survival of the indigenous communities.
However, KSU stated that it is open to further discussions with all stakeholders for the better interest of the indigenous communities of the state.
The union expressed its apprehension regarding the possibility of a spillover to Meghalaya after the NRC list was published in Assam on July 30.
The union asserted that some of the 40 lakh people who failed to feature in the NRC list will try to infiltrate into Meghalaya owing to the porous 900 km border that the state shared with Assam and the lack of stringent mechanisms to curb and combat the menace of influx.
The union stated that if there is unabated influx of migrants from different parts of the South Asian subcontinent, especially Bangladesh, Nepal and from mainland India, the fate of Meghalaya will be like that of Tripura and Assam where indigenous communities have been reduced to minorities within their homeland.
Earlier in the day, the central body leaders of the union met Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong.
“The deputy CM said that the functioning of the existing infiltration check gate will be strengthened. He added that temporary check gates will be erected in roads which lead to the state from Assam,” KSU president Lambok Marngar said.
Stating that the government failed to curb illegal immigration, he said, “If the infiltration check gate of the state government turns out to be ineffective, we will be forced to step in to erect a check gate again.”
