Shillong, Nov 19: The North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) has written to the Governor of Meghalaya urging immediate action on what it describes as the long-standing and growing issue of illegal migration in the region.
NESO represents eight student bodies from the North East states.
In the letter signed by NESO chairman Samuel B Jyrwa and general secretary Mutsikhoyo Yhobu, the organisation said the North East has been facing unchecked migration since India’s Independence in 1947 that has affected the social and demographic balance of several states.
NESO cited Tripura as an example, stating that the indigenous population has become a minority over the years. It also referred to Assam, pointing to the six-year anti-foreigners’ movement that led to the Assam Accord in 1985. The organisation said that despite the accord, illegal migration continues.
Meghalaya too has seen several agitations over fears of demographic change, including those in 1979, 1987 and the early 1990s. NESO said the issue is now affecting parts of the Garo Hills and other areas.
“This is not only a political or administrative issue. It concerns the survival of the indigenous communities of the North East,” NESO wrote.
The organisation said both the central and state governments are responsible for addressing the issue. It stressed that states not covered under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation 1873 (known as the Inner Line Permit, or ILP), are more vulnerable and must strengthen systems for prevention, detection and deportation of illegal migrants.
NESO said it has raised the matter with the central government several times but has received only limited responses. It expressed strong opposition to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019, and the recent Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) Order 2025, which allows certain minority groups from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan to stay in India even if they entered without valid documents.
The organisation said the lack of firm measures has left indigenous communities to protect their identity on their own. It stated that it will continue to engage with the Centre for a long-term solution.
The pressure group had a list of demands for the central government – detect and deport illegal migrants, seal the Indo-Bangladesh border, strengthen border control with adequate personnel and surveillance, fully exempt the North East from the CAA and Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) Order, implement the Assam Accord in full, provide constitutional safeguards for the indigenous people of Assam and Tripura, prepare a National Register of Citizens (NRC) for the entire North East and review the NRC of Assam, implement the ILP across the North East, ensure migrants are not relocated within the region, protect indigenous rights, culture, language and land ownership through laws and policies and set up a special committee to review population growth in specific areas.
