By Our Reporter
Shillong, Nov 19: The North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) has raised fresh alarm over what it describes as a growing demographic threat in the region, urging the Government of India to adopt immediate and stringent measures to curb illegal migration.
In a memorandum submitted to Governor C.H. Vijayashankar, NESO chairman Samuel Jyrwa said that Meghalaya has repeatedly witnessed agitations in 1979, 1987 and the early 1990s driven by the fear of demographic displacement and erosion of indigenous rights.
Jyrwa said that despite decades of struggle and the assurances contained in the Assam Accord of 1985, the issue of unchecked migration remains unresolved.
“Today, the problem has only deepened. Assam is witnessing a radical change in its demographic structure, and this shift is spilling over into other states, especially the plains belt of Garo Hills,” he stated.
According to NESO, the demographic changes pose a direct threat to the survival of indigenous communities. “Our languages, our traditions, our cultural practices, and our very existence as distinct peoples are at stake,” the NESO chairman asserted.
Jyrwa said the central and state governments bear responsibility for failing to prevent infiltration and safeguard indigenous populations.
He emphasised the need for stricter border management, inter-state coordination, and enhanced vigilance, particularly in states where the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation of 1873 does not apply.
He also criticised the central government’s recent decisions, particularly the CAA and the Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) Order, 2025 issued on September 1.
The organisation said the new order, which allows minority groups from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who entered India before December 31, 2024—legally or illegally—to remain in the country, poses further risks to the indigenous population of the Northeast.
“The responses have been inadequate, often limited to temporary or reactionary measures,” Jyrwa said, adding that such policies exacerbate the long-standing fears of indigenous communities rather than addressing them.
He warned that the demographic changes already visible in parts of the region should serve as a “warning of an existential crisis.” He cited Tripura as a stark example, where indigenous communities once the majority have become minorities in their own land.
“For decades, the Northeast has grappled with the challenge of unchecked influx. If strong and sustained measures are not taken now, the identity of the region’s indigenous peoples could be irreversibly altered,” the organisation cautioned.
Despite its concerns, NESO reaffirmed its commitment to continued engagement with the Government of India for a lasting and decisive solution to safeguard the future of the Northeast and its people.
