NESO seeks urgent action on illegal migration in NE

North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) has expressed deep concern over the long-standing and escalating issue of illegal migration into the North Eastern region.
In its representation signed by NESO chairman Samuel B. Jyrwa and general secretary Mutsikhoyo Yhobu, the organisation stated that for decades, the North East had been grappling with uncontrolled and unchecked influx of illegal migrants—an issue that, it said, began soon after India attained Independence in 1947 and has since become one of the greatest threats to the socio-cultural fabric, demographic balance, and political stability of the region.
Citing examples, NESO said Tripura presented the most alarming case, where the indigenous people had been reduced to a minority in their own land. Assam, too, it noted, had suffered immensely, leading to the six-year-long anti-foreigners’ movement and the signing of the Assam Accord in 1985. However, NESO said that despite the sacrifices of countless individuals, the promises of the accord remained unfulfilled and illegal migration continued unabated.
It also recalled the repeated waves of agitation in Meghalaya—in 1979, 1987, and the early 1990s—triggered by fears of demographic displacement and erosion of indigenous rights, adding that the problem had only deepened and was now spilling over into the plain belt areas of Garo Hills and other parts of the North East.
Stating that the issue was not merely political or administrative but one of survival, NESO said that the languages, traditions, and very existence of the indigenous communities were at stake. The organisation asserted that both the Central and State governments bore responsibility in addressing the issue, especially in areas where the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR), 1873, was not applicable.
NESO called for robust mechanisms for prevention, detection, and deportation of illegal migrants, along with strengthened border management, inter-state coordination, and local vigilance.
The memorandum lamented that despite repeated appeals, government responses had been inadequate—often limited to temporary measures instead of comprehensive, long-term solutions. NESO also criticised the Government of India for passing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019, with only partial exemptions for the North East, and the subsequent issuance of the Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) Order, 2025, which allowed certain minority communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan to continue residing in India even if they had entered illegally before December 31, 2024. NESO said it had “vehemently opposed” this move.
It warned that the absence of decisive action had left indigenous communities vulnerable, forcing them to fend for themselves to protect their culture and identity.
In its memorandum, NESO put forward several key demands– immediate detection and deportation of illegal migrants; complete sealing of the Indo-Bangladesh border; strengthening of border control and surveillance in vulnerable areas; total exemption of CAA, 2019, and the Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) Order, 2025 from the entire North East; full implementation of the Assam Accord in letter and spirit; constitutional safeguards for indigenous people of Assam and Tripura, as per the Justice Biplab Kumar Sarma Committee recommendations; preparation of a National Register of Citizens (NRC) for all North Eastern states, with state-specific base years, and re-examination of Assam’s NRC.
It also called for extension of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system to the entire North East; coordination between neighbouring states and agencies to prevent internal relocation of migrants; legal and policy measures to protect indigenous rights, culture, language, and land ownership and setting up of a special review committee to examine population explosion in certain areas.
NESO urged the Government of India to treat the matter with utmost seriousness and urgency, warning that the demographic and cultural changes already visible in parts of the region were “warnings of an existential crisis.”
It said that if strong and sustained measures were not taken immediately, the identity of the North East’s indigenous peoples could be irreversibly altered. NESO expressed hope that the Governor would act “with vision and determination” to address the issue.