The Khasi Students Union on Wednesday said that it would resume setting up of its own check points on national highways in various districts of the state that connect with Assam if the Meghalaya government fails to show action in as far as checking and detecting of suspected illegal citizens who might migrate to Meghalaya after the publication of the final draft NRC in Assam.
The NRC published in Assam on Monday showed that over 40 lakh people in the state failed to make it to the draft NRC. Of 3,29,91,384 applicants, 2,89,83,677 were found eligible, while the names of 40,00,707 applicants have not been included in the NRC as they could establish their eligibility.
KSU president, Lambokstarwell Marngar said that the checking conducted by members of the Union on national highways in three places – Ratacherra in East Jaiñtia Hills district, Athiabari in West Khasi Hills district and 20th Miles in Ri-Bhoi district led to the detection of around 1,500 persons.
“There was no harassment or physical assault during the checking. All those who did not possess documents we pushed them back to Assam,” KSU general secretary Donald V Thabah said.
Informing that Union has suspended its checking, Thabah said, “After discussing with police officials in the districts where the check points were set up by the Union, all those check points we have put up were also removed on Tuesday.”
Thabah said that during the meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong on Wednesday, the Union had also pressed that the state police department should establish more infiltration check points at Saphai and Khanduli in Jaiñtia Hills region as well as at Jirang and Umsiang village under Mawhati constituency.
He said Tynsong has assured that the state government would take necessary steps and if required temporary check points would be also set up along the national highways of the state to detect the possible movement of illegal migrants.
Meanwhile Meghalaya DIGP in-charge Eastern Range, A R Mawthoh said that there was no checking by KSU members except for few hours on Tuesday.
“Those check points put up by the KSU are not there now, and police have intensified the checking especially after the publication of NRC in Assam,” he said.
The state police also stated that no report was received about incident of assault during the checking of people from other places who passed through Meghalaya.
Ri-Bhoi Superintendent of Police, Spill Thamar said that special checking are being carried in the district apart from random checkings by police personnel manning police stations and police outposts located on the national highway (Shillong-Guwahati).
Thamar also said that no incident of assault was reported in Ri-Bhoi district.
The KSU is demanding from the Meghalaya government to carry out similar NRC update in the state to segregate genuine and non-genuine citizens, since Meghalaya is witnessing influx of people not only from Bangladesh, but from Nepal and other parts of India as well.