NGO Opposes USTM’s Support for Evicted Children, Claims Security Concerns

Meghalaya: A local NGO, the Hynniewtrep Integrated Territorial Organisation (HITO), strongly objects to the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya’s (USTM) decision to provide education and rehabilitation support to children affected by the eviction drive in Assam.

In a memorandum submitted to USTM Chancellor Mahbubul Hoque on Monday, HITO claims that the university’s move may have “national security implications,” especially in light of rising infiltration concerns along the India-Bangladesh border.

HITO says that institutions in the Northeast, including USTM, must act responsibly and avoid steps that could be seen as supporting undocumented migrants. “Meghalaya must not become the soft underbelly through which undocumented migration is legitimised under the veil of humanitarian outreach,” the memorandum states.

The organisation alleges that some of the children being offered support belong to families with no legal status in Meghalaya or other parts of India. It argues that allowing them to access the state’s education system could have “far-reaching social and political consequences.”

HITO clarifies that it is not against education or child welfare, but it expresses concern that such actions could normalize illegal settlement. “Such gestures may later lead to permanent settlement, residential rights, and even political claims thus weakening the rights of indigenous communities,” the group warns.

USTM is yet to officially respond to the concerns raised.