GoN contemplating NRC enrolment in Nagaland; NSF seeks to run parallel verification
Kohima, July 25 (MExN): Nagaland State is set to take preventive measures against the expected “influx" of undocumented migrants, suspected to be "illegal immigrants" from Assam, understood to be due to the National Register of Citizens (NRC) nearing completion in Assam from July 31, reported Nagaland State Directorate of Information & Public Relations (DIPR) today.
“The Nagaland Police is deploying additional forces to the border areas to check and prevent" such an influx, stated the DIPR. Additional IRB units are being deployed and flying squads are to be sent. The Government is also writing to the Village Councils to be vigilant and not to allow suspected "illegal immigrants" to “enter their jurisdictions or to employ them in any manner.”
These measures were decided at a meeting of the Home and Police Departments under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Temjen Toy. He stated that the Government of Nagaland is also contemplating an exercise on enrolment under NRC.
According to the DIPR report, instructions to Deputy Commissioners have also been given to take appropriate measures and to issue necessary advisories to house owners in the towns to verify the identity of tenants from concerned authorities and not to let out their premises to “doubtful” people.
The Government of Nagaland has also received instructions from the Central Government regarding prevention and action against ‘mob lynching.’ All the districts have been instructed to have Special Task Forces under the respective SPs.
NSF seeks to run ‘spot verification’
With the publication of the final draft of the NRC in Assam to be published by July 31, “it is being viewed that massive alarming migration is bound to happen if the State Government does not take necessary measures to monitor the flow,” stated the Naga Students Federation (NSF) today raising apprehension on the issue.
The State of Assam has undertaken the NRC exercise to check illegal immigration to Assam after the Electoral Roll of 1971 and in accordance to the Assam Accord, 1985. This will pose as "the biggest demographic threat to the neighboring States of Assam and in particular to the State of Nagaland,” stated the NSF today in a press release from Kesosal Christopher Ltu, President of the NSF and its General Secretary, Imtiyapang Imsong.
The NSF demanded that the Nagaland State Government put in “strict mechanism to monitor the entry and exit of migrants/immigrants” and also for the NSF, a non government body, to “conduct spot verification to the entry and exit points in the State.”
The NSF also informed the “general public, indigenous and non-indigenous, not to entertain or make effort to create passage" for suspected "illegal immigrants" or the NSF will “initiate strict and befitting action against the defaulters.” The Federation asked all its federating units and sub-ordinate bodies to “be vigilant” and monitor their respective jurisdictions.
