Disillusioned by the government’s recent decision on the entry/exit checkpoint at Umling in Ri-Bhoi, four pressure groups today set up its own temporary facilitation centre.
The Ri-Bhoi Youth Federation (RBYF), Hynñiewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF), Khasi Students Union (KSU) and Federation of Khasi, Jaiñtia and Garo People (FKJGP) set up a checkpoint of their own on Thursday morning but later shelved the idea after talks with the district administration in the afternoon.
The groups did this after last week’s move by the state government to de-sanction funds for building a facilitation centre at the Umling checkpoint, instead preferring a prefabricated structure at the same location.
The pressure groups carried placards, flags and set up a temporary facilitation structure of their own along the Shillong-Guwahati highway. They demanded that the government implement the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act 2016 to tackle illegal infiltration into the state.
“If the state government does not set up the facilitation centre in Umling within 60 days, we will not hesitate but to conduct our own drive against influx,” RBYF president Bipul Thangkhiew said.
The group also demanded the government to activate the district task force committee and to implement the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act.
