While opposing Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma’s idea to issue work permit to Bangladeshi nationals, the Federation of Khasi Jaiñtia and Garo People (FKJGP) and Hynñiewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF) on Wednesday asked the State government to initiate the National Registration of Citizens (NRC) process in the State.
The FKJGP and HNYF submitted a joint memorandum to the Chief Minister here where the organizations stated, “If your government is admitting the presence of a large number of foreign nationals in the state, we suggest that your government initiate the NRC in Meghalaya and deport all foreign nationals.”
The two organizations also stated that an idea floated by the CM could be seen that the government has admitted the presence of a large number of Bangladeshi nationals in Meghalaya.
FKJGP President Wellbert Rani and HNYF General Secretary, Sadon K Blah stated, “The present government is only trying to find out ways and means to enable these parasitic foreign nationals earn their livelihood legally in our State.”
They also stated that the tribal minority has already felt the pinch of the Indo-Nepal friendly treaty, and the proposal to grant work permit to Bangladeshis will only open another “floodgate of influx and subsequent naturalization into full citizenship by the Bangladeshis.”
They sought clarification on how the government intends to grant work permit to the foreigners, as the State has only the Meghalaya Interstate Migrant Workmen Act, which seeks to protect the rights of locals in term of employment.
“Granting work permit to Bangladeshis will result in direct de-employment of the local people with lesser skills,” the two organizations observed.
Opposing the Centre’s move to grant citizenship to Hindu-Bangladeshis, they stated, “We are equally not happy with intention of the State government to issue work permit to the Bangladeshis.”
They also pointed out that in neighboring Assam, the decadal growth of Muslim population has increased from 30.9 pc in 2001 to 34.2 pc in 2011, whereas the country’s Muslim population has grown only marginally from 13.4 pc to 14.2 pc over the same period.
“States in India feeling the pinch of Bangladeshi migrants like West Bengal and Tripura are opposing the Central government’s move to amend the existing laws to grant citizenship status to the Bangladeshis,” the two organizations added.