Meghalaya steps up vigil after eviction of immigrants in Assam

The Meghalaya government has issued an order to all district authorities to keep a strict vigil to prevent influx of illegal immigrants from neighbouring Assam from entering the state.
The Assam government has been carrying out an eviction drive since June, evicting encroachers, mostly Bengali-speaking Muslims, from government lands.
Meghalaya Additional Chief Secretary (Home-Political) Shakil P Ahammed on Wednesday issued the Order, instructing all deputy commissioners to remain alert and implement measures to control any potential movement of people into the state
“In view of the ongoing eviction drive against the illegal immigrants
undertaken by the Assam government and to prevent possible influx of the displaced individuals to Meghalaya, Deputy Commissioners are directed to keep vigilance and take necessary measures to ensure the potential influx is kept in check and law and order is maintained,” Ahammed stated in his Order.
Meghalaya shares an 884.9km-long border with Assam.
“Police personnel in the districts bordering Assam have been instructed to maintain heightened vigilance and prevent the entry of any suspicious individuals,” a police official said.
Meanwhile, the Federation of Khasi Jaiñtia and Garo People (FKJGP) has warned against the possible risk that the evicted illegal immigrants may attempt to cross into Meghalaya.
“There is a possibility of inward movement of immigrants, posing a threat to Meghalaya and the safety and security of its residents,” FKJGP vice president Kitboklang Nongphlang said.
He alleged that the state government has failed to implement the existing laws such as the Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979 (Work Permit), Meghalaya Residents Safety & Security Act 2016, Meghalaya Identification, Registration (safety & Security) of Migrant Workers Act 2020, to curb the influx of illegal immigrants in the State.
Not only that, he said, the state government has failed to respect the resolution passed on Inner Line Permit by the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly in December, 2019 as the issue lingers with the Centre.
“The state government’s claim that it is still pushing for implementation of the ILP with the centre is to mislead the pressure groups and the people. This is an act scripted by the NPP-led MDA government as is evident from the statement made by Union Minister of State Krishan Pal Gurjar during his recent visit to the state that he was not fully updated on the ILP,” Nongphlang said.
ILP is an official travel document issued by the Indian government to allow inward travel of an Indian citizen into a protected/restricted area for a limited period.
It is obligatory for Indian citizens from outside Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur to obtain a permit for entering the restricted areas.