Assam’s neighbouring states on alert after NRC publication

They fear the illegal Bangladeshi immigrants would now migrate to the two states to avoid action against them in Assam.
Bodo women check their names in the final list of National Register of Citizens NRC at an NRC Seva Kendra at Bagan Para in Baska district of Assam Monday September 2 2019. | (File | PTI)
Bodo women check their names in the final list of National Register of Citizens NRC at an NRC Seva Kendra at Bagan Para in Baska district of Assam Monday September 2 2019. | (File | PTI)

GUWAHATI: The publication of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam has triggered a panic among organisations in some neighbouring states such as Meghalaya and Nagaland.

They fear the illegal Bangladeshi immigrants would now migrate to the two states to avoid action against them in Assam. Over 19 lakh people were excluded from the final list of the NRC published on Saturday.

The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) on Monday conducted a search operation at two industrial units in Meghalaya’s West Khasi Hills and found 30 non-tribals without any “NRC documents”. The persons were working there as labourers. 

“We asked them to produce NRC documents but they failed to do so. They said they have the documents but they were not carrying them,” KSU leader Wanbhakupar Lyngdoh Nonglait said.

“The managers of the mills have assured us that they will send them back until they provide NRC documents. On our part, we will conduct raids at all factories and other project sites to ensure that we are not burdened with the illegal immigrants,” he said.

The KSU fears that the immigrants will migrate to Meghalaya taking advantage of the absence of police check posts on the inter-state border. A similar fear has gripped several other organisations in the state which have asked their members to be vigilant. 

Nagaland is also on alert. The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) said the influx of the illegal immigrants to Nagaland was expected to rise given the publication of NRC in Assam.

xcept for the plains of Dimapur district, outsiders visiting the state are required to carry Inner Line Permit (ILP). The NSF slammed the state government for not bringing Dimapur under the purview of ILP.

“The impending exodus of illegal immigrants poses as the biggest demographic threat to the indigenous inhabitants of Nagaland. The exclusion of Dimapur district from ILP purview has made it a safe haven for the illegal immigrants,” the NSF said. 

It warned that the Nagas would be outnumbered by the illegal immigrants if the issue was not addressed urgently.

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