SHILLONG: Nine pressure groups in Meghalaya on Wednesday resolved to go ahead with their move to implement the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), 2016, on their own to check the influx of migrant labourers and illegal immigrants into the state.
The pressure groups comprising KSU, FKJGP, HNYF, RBYF, JSU, GSU, FAF, AJYWO, and ADE, met in Shillong and took potshots at the government for failing to effectively curb the influx of migrant labourers and illegal immigrants.
According to the pressure groups, despite MRSSA becoming law in 2016, the government has made little progress in its implementation.
KSU president Lambokstarwell Marngar claimed that the pressure groups would implement MRSSA on their own across the state as the government has shown a lackadaisical attitude towards implementation of the Act.
“Maybe, the government is not able to do it due to manpower shortage. We are going to conduct a drive to check if the migrant labourers possess work permits and other valid documents,” Marngar said.
The pressure groups criticized Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma for “misleading” the public about the Act’s enforcement.
They claimed that the state needed stricter measures to protect the interests of indigenous people.
The government has also not really pushed the Centre to implement ILP in the state even after the resolution passed by the Assembly in 2019,” Marngar said.
The groups alleged that as far as MRSSA is concerned, everything is clearly specified on the setting up of the entry and exit points and the formation of the district task force but nothing has been done to implement it.
HYNF president Sadon K Blah said MRSSA goes in line with ILP but the Centre is silent on the demand for implementing ILP.
