Shillong, Aug 10: State Congress Party leader Manuel Badwar has lambasted the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) government in Meghalaya for what he says is a lack of seriousness in addressing the issue of illegal immigration in the state.
Badwar stated that the porous international border makes it easy for illegal immigrants to enter Meghalaya and other states. He attributed the problem to the absence of a proper mechanism to check illegal immigration and the presence of people who sympathise with the immigrants.
The Congress leader questioned the NPP’s commitment to implementing the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system in Meghalaya. “They have to answer to their masters in Delhi, who are against ILP for Meghalaya,” Badwar said.
He emphasised that ILP was never a solution for the people in Delhi for Meghalaya and expressed doubts about the NPP’s ability to fulfill the needs of the public. “The NPP’s lack of seriousness in implementing ILP and the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA) shows that they are only interested in winning elections and maintaining a majority, without bothering about the state’s demographic future,” Badwar stated.
The Congress leader acknowledged the efforts of pressure groups in monitoring the situation but stressed that their efforts are limited without the political will of the government. “We don’t have a legitimate mechanism to prevent illegal migrants from entering the state. No matter how many MPs discuss this issue, it requires the political will of the state government to relentlessly push for a solution,” he said.
