Following the announcement of final list of NRC in Assam, pressure has mounted on its border with Meghalaya according to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma. Speaking at the state legislative assembly on Tuesday, Sangma said people had to be stopped at check posts near the bordering areas since they were not carrying required documents to prove their citizenship.
The final National Register of Citizens (NRC) list in Assam was published on August 31 including names of 3.1 crore people and leaving out 19 lakh citizens. According to guidelines issued by the Centre, an individual who has been excluded from the final National Register of Citizens (NRC) can approach one of the 300 foreigners tribunals set up in Assam within 120 days beginning August 31.
According to NDTV, in the week that followed the list’s release 223 people were stopped at the Meghalaya-Assam border since they could not produce original and valid identification documents.
Sangma told the state legislative assembly, “Instructions were issued to carry out comprehensive checking and not allow anyone coming from Assam without sufficient proof of documents. The check-posts at the key entry points bordering with Assam have been posted with adequate manpower.”
The National People’s Party leader also said that nearly 30 additional check points had been set up in different districts and that these too would be manned on a 24-hour basis.
Speaking at NEDA (North East Democratic Alliance) conclave in Guwahati, attended by Home Minister Amit Shah, Sangma said people in Meghalaya feared that those identified as illegal immigrants in Assam would try and enter their state.
Conrad also expressed his fears regarding Citizenship Amendment Bill as he said that the Northeast region of India will be worst affected and the bill may affect the Inner Line Permit (ILP) or other laws in the region. “I fear that some people may migrate to Meghalaya once the Bill is enacted”, he said, adding that “thoughts regarding the CAB need to be cleared.”