Shillong/Imphal: The North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) staged simultaneous demonstrations on Monday in Shillong and Keisamthong (Imphal West), intensifying its demand for stronger measures to curb illegal immigration from Bangladesh.
In Shillong, NESO chairman Samuel B Jyrwa described the protest as a “call to action” against an issue that, he said, has “altered the demography and stability of the North East.”
He urged the Centre to act decisively, noting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent Independence Day remarks acknowledging the impact of large-scale immigration.
“This problem has persisted for decades in Tripura, Assam and now Meghalaya. We hope the Centre takes concrete steps to protect indigenous communities,” Jyrwa said.
The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), a core NESO affiliate, announced plans to ramp up its own “ILP-style checks” in Meghalaya, accusing the state government of failing to enforce existing safeguards. Under Meghalaya’s law, all migrant workers are required to register with the labour department, but KSU leaders allege poor implementation.
“The Centre may be keen on tackling illegal immigration, but the state government is not serious,” said KSU general secretary Donald V Thabah. “We are compelled to act, even if it means taking the law into our own hands.”
The union has intensified border monitoring in South West Khasi Hills and is pushing for the creation of a territorial army for Meghalaya, similar to Mizoram, to secure state borders.
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Meanwhile, in Imphal West, students under the All Manipur Students’ Union banner staged a sit-in demanding an NRC for Manipur, resettlement of internally displaced persons and a review committee to probe abnormal population growth.
NESO also submitted a memorandum to Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, seeking immediate detection and deportation of illegal immigrants, sealing of the India-Bangladesh border and strengthening of border surveillance.
The student body said it would soon convene to decide its next course of action.
