Before rail, solve influx problem first, KHM to Centre

FROM A REPORTER

SHILLONG, Feb 8: The KHM State Youth Wing on Wednesday stated that if the Central government is keen for development of the State without endangering its existence the Centre in collaboration with the state government should begin to detect all illegal immigrants, delete their mes from the voters list and pushed them back.

The reaction of KHMAN came in wake of the statements made by Union Minister of State for Railways, Rajen Gohain on Tuesday who had allayed fears that railways would lead to influx in Meghalaya.

“It is disappointing to see our Union Minister of Railways have solely taken mixed marriage to Bangladeshi as a sole reason for illegal migration.  This is just an attempt to fulfill the tiol interest without taking into consideration the regiol interest of Meghalaya,” KHM State youth wing president Thomas Passah said.

Reminding that KHM way back in August 2016 had demanded that before introducing railway service there is a need to implement ILP; he said, “We have strongly opposed the move of the.”

“The fact is that there is an all round failure on the part of the Centre and the state to solve the problem of illegal immigration,” he said.

According to him, the massive illegal immigration has posed grave danger to our country, social harmony and economic well being and we have every right to protect ourselves from any exterl forces which threaten our existences.  

“We are not against any development activities but if those development activities threaten our existence, we must oppose such developmental project,” he said adding that the continued influx of illegal immigrations from Bangladesh has been a deep concern in the region and in Meghalaya.

He informed that about 12 lakh Bangladeshi, who had entered India between 1972 and 2005 with valid documents have not returned home.

“India has been able to push back only 15,000 of them in 2005, 12,000 in 2006 and 11,500 in 2007,” he said.