SHILLONG: Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma has claimed that the State Government would have been able to deal with any situation which could have arisen following the declaration of final draft of NRC in Assam.
Replying to a short duration discussion on the NRC, Conrad Sangma said that he personally monitored the situation with DCs and SPs following the announcement of the final draft list in Assam even as he added that necessary directions had been issued to the DCs to keep a watch on the registration of voters in the electoral roll in certain areas.
Commenting on the demand of updating National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Meghalaya, Conrad Sangma said that the State government would move forward in the direction of a National Register of Citizens (NRC), based on the National Population Register (NPR) in a phased manner and over a period of time by considering all pros and cons and taking all stakeholders into confidence since there were many indigenous people who don’t have necessary documentation.
Observing that an NRC exercise has huge financial implication besides manpower, the chief minister said it could not be done overnight and needed extensive consultations at various levels.
Asserting that the Government intends to a call an all party meeting besides meeting with the stakeholders on the issue, the Chief Minister informed that the land acquisition for setting up of entry and exit points is in advanced stage.
“The Government will set up the entry exit points in phase wise manner and very critical points will be taken up initially,” Sangma added.
He also said that he has asked the Political department officially to find out as to how the provisions of the Meghalaya Residents Safety Act can be further amended so as to give more powers to the headmen and Nokmas
The Chief Minister further informed that the Union Railway Minister had agreed to his proposal of setting up an entry and exit centre at Mendipathar Railway Station to instill confidence in the minds of the people. Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong and Home Minister James Sangma will visit the railway station after the end of the current session of the assembly to study the ground situation in this regard, he told the House.
“There are a number of infiltration check gates along the inter-state boundary which were being manned by 252 personnel on a rotation basis,” he added.
Earlier while initiating the discussion, Opposition member P T Sawkmie of Congress said that different NGOs in the state and the region have called for NRC in all the north-eastern states, which, he maintained was necessary to safeguard the interests of the indigenous population
Leader of Opposition, Dr Mukul Sangma emphasized on the implementation of the Residents Safety Act, even as he said that there was abnormal increase in number of voters in certain pockets in the state prior to the last Assembly election.
