CORRESPONDENT
SHILLONG: Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Wednesday said the state government has begun a detailed exercise to strengthen mechanisms addressing illegal infiltration and other security concerns. “I don’t want to go into details right now, but our exercise has only started. We have been holding very detailed meetings. I am sure you must have seen the Home Department. We have met the DGP and others more than three, four, or five times in the last two to three months purely to discuss, not necessarily the MRSSA alone, but mechanisms to ensure that we are able to check all these aspects. I don’t want to jump the gun and give too much information, but we are on track, and I hope that we will be able to come out with something very concrete very soon,” he said.
The Chief Minister stressed that Meghalaya has always maintained strictness regarding illegal immigration. “For that matter of fact, there has always been strictness from our side. We have always been concerned about this, and that is the reason why different laws and different aspects are being brought in. I also want to share with you that we know there are different laws at the national level also which have come in. We are looking at those aspects to ensure how those laws can be applicable to the state. I don’t want to go into the details of all of that, but all aspects are there,” Sangma said.
He added that the Village Defence Party (VDP) law has been reinforced to ensure active grassroots intelligence collection. “As for the illegal infiltration check gates, very active checking is taking place and all the information is being collected. Therefore, there are multiple levels and, obviously, if there is any information or intel that organizations or civil society may have, please do pass it on and we will be happy to take necessary steps against those involved,” he added.
Addressing public safety, the Chief Minister reassured citizens: “Absolutely, Meghalaya is safe. There is no issue at all. The Delhi blast issue, which was a concern for national security, required different aspects of investigation to be carried out, and whatever happened at that point in time was purely related to the investigation of the Delhi blast. Therefore, we are not going beyond the statement I made last time; it is a repetition. There is no concern regarding any safety issues, but obviously we cannot take things for granted. As a government, as a police department, as BSF, as NIA, as the Intelligence Bureau, and as all the agencies concerned, it is our duty never to take things for granted. It is our duty never to be complacent. It is our duty never to take anything lightly. We will take everything very seriously to ensure safety, but as I said, there is no concern as of now and the safety aspect is absolutely there. The investigation that happened during that phase was purely related to the Delhi blast.”
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