Meghalaya: NESO protests rock Shillong amidst ILP demand

CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG: ILP should be implemented in all the North Eastern States amidst the constant fear of influx and illegal immigrants entering the North East, NESO Chairman Samuel Jyrwa said.

The North East Students’ Organisation (NESO), along with the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), staged a powerful sit-in at Khyndai Lad, Shillong, in front of the old Assembly building on Monday, as part of a region-wide agitation demanding immediate implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP).

The coordinated protest, resolved during NESO’s August 6 meeting in Guwahati, saw participants brandishing placards screaming defiance: “NE is not a dumping ground for illegal immigrants,” “secure our border,” “GoM evict illegal settlers from Meghalaya,” “illegal settlers aren’t welcome here GoM do your job or will do it for you!” and “implement ILP.”

As protests erupted simultaneously across all Northeastern capitals, NESO turned the spotlight on the Centre and state governments, urging urgent and decisive action against what it called the unbridled influx of illegal immigrants threatening the identity and security of the indigenous populace.

Addressing media persons, Jyrwa declared the sit-in to be a clarion call.

“We have faced this problem of illegal immigration of people from across the border especially from Bangladesh to the different states of the NE region. We have seen the situation in Tripura, Assam and even in Meghalaya, we have witnessed so many upheaval and people’s movement against this infiltration of people from Bangladesh. Therefore, this sit-in-strike is a call to the government of India and also to the state governments of the different states in the NE region to take note of this very serious issue and to take proactive actions on the ground to stop this illegal infiltration,” Jyrwa said.

He invoked the Prime Minister’s Independence Day address which flagged illegal immigration as a demographic threat.

 “Since the Prime Minister has acknowledged this grave issue, we hope that the government of India to take concrete steps on the ground so as to protect the welfare of the indigenous people of the NE region,” he said.

Taking a dig at decades of governmental inertia, Jyrwa reminded that ILP has been a long-standing demand.

“Well, you see the issue of ILP is a very old issue in which the Khasi Students Union (KSU) has been demanding since 1983 but sadly and unfortunately, the government of India and also the successive central governments have not implemented the ILP in the different states of the NE region and also in the state of Meghalaya,” he added. With NESO now signalling escalation, the organisation has announced it will soon convene to chart its next course of action and inform the public accordingly.

Also Read: Over 2,300 schools celebrate Tithi Bhojan in Meghalaya

Also Watch: