Newmai News Network Shillong | November 22 The state of Meghalaya is facing a bigger problem of inter-state influx rather than illegal foreigners entering its soil, according to the Chief Executive Member (CEM) of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC), Hispreaching Son Shylla. “The issue in Meghalaya is not foreign influx but it is the inter-state influx,” Shylla said while speaking during the last day of the council’s winter session on Thursday. He also appealed to the state government to advise the Governor to expedite the granting of his assent to the KHAD (Inner Line as adapted from the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation 1873) Regulation Bill, 2018 passed by the KHADC recently. Stating that Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation 1873 is constitutional, Shylla said a Union minister had also clearly stated in the Parliament that the main aim of the ILP is to protect the locals. “The question of hating others does not arise but all we want is to regulate their (outsiders) entry into the state,” he said. Shylla further alleged that the NGOs who are demanding the setting up of entry-exit points to check influx have been “misled” because these are facilitation centres to facilitate the entry of people from outside into the state. The setting up of the entry-exit points have been mandated by the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), 2016 passed by the state government as part of its anti-influx comprehensive mechanism. “The MRSSA is a serious threat to the indigenous population if implemented and I urged all our ministers and MLAs to study this Act because we need ILP to tackle the issue of inter-state influx,” Shylla stated. Shylla later informed that he would soon submit a written explanation to the chief minister Conrad K Sangma on the stand of the council with regards to the MRSSA. The chief minister recently while reacting to the allegations on the Act has asked Shylla to explain the reason for him to draw such a conclusion. “We will submit a written explanation to the CM who has given us this chance to clarify on our stand,” Shylla said.
