SHILLONG: The President of the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) and Chairman of the Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organisation (CoMSO), Roy Kupar Synrem, has urged the state government to be highly vigilant regarding the entry and exit of outsiders. This appeal comes after the Election Commission of India announced a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the Electoral Roll in the states of West Bengal and Assam.
He stated that the situation in Assam clearly shows how authorities are identifying and targeting individuals whose Indian citizenship status is doubtful (not conclusive).
The Assam Government has been attempting to identify non-Indian individuals, particularly those from Bangladesh, and implementing laws that give them only 24 hours to leave the state.
The purpose of the SIR, according to the law, is to thoroughly examine whether the individuals who have been enrolled in the electoral roll are rightfully eligible to vote in India.
Threat of Influx into Meghalaya
CoMSO has expressed concern that through the implementation of the SIR in these two states, many people whose Indian citizenship is questionable will emerge.
The apprehension is that if these individuals are expelled from West Bengal and Assam, they will easily enter the State of Meghalaya.
This is because Meghalaya currently lacks the necessary protective laws to safeguard the state, unlike other states.
Consequently, CoMSO has strongly urged the Meghalaya Government to exercise utmost caution and vigilance concerning the movements and intentions of these individuals who are being expelled from the neighbouring states.
Synrem highlighted that Meghalaya is an undefended state, and vigilance must be maintained to ensure that those entering the state are not the people being expelled.
CoMSO demands that the Government instruct the Deputy Commissioners (DC), Superintendents of Police (SP), and border forces to ensure that all people entering the state possess the correct documents.
It must also be confirmed that they are not individuals affected by the SIR exercise.
Need for Inter-State Cooperation:
CoMSO stressed the necessity of cooperating with the authorities of the two neighbouring states to ensure that individuals expelled from Assam and West Bengal are not permitted to settle in any other state of India.
