Amid mounting national urgency over undocumented immigration, Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister in charge of Home (Police), Prestone Tynsong, on Tuesday said the State Government has directed all Deputy Commissioners and district administrations across the state to intensify surveillance and to crack down wherever they suspect or wherever they receive inputs these illegal immigrants should be an arrested immediately.
The directive comes as the Centre enforces a 30-day window for states and Union Territories to identify and verify individuals from Bangladesh and Myanmar claiming Indian citizenship, failing which deportation proceedings are to be initiated.
“We are on the job. We have already given the direction to all the district administration, all the Deputy Commissioners to crack down wherever they suspect or wherever they receive inputs. They should be arrested immediately,” Tynsong said, underlining the urgency with which the state intends to act on intelligence reports and leads.
Asked whether a special task force would be constituted to monitor the situation, Tynsong clarified that the necessary mechanisms were already in place. “See, if you talk about the District Task Force, that we already have. The District Task Force, even about finding out people who come to the state, who stay in different districts—that District Task Force is already there under the MRSSA, the Meghalaya Residence Safety and Security Act, which was passed then. This District Task Force is operationalised, and we do have this District Task Force,” he said.
On the matter of pushback against illegal immigrants, Tynsong said the state is adhering strictly to the provisions of the law. “The Act is being followed strictly,” he stated.
The Deputy Chief Minister’s remarks align with fresh instructions from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, which recently directed all states and Union Territories to use their statutory powers to identify, verify, and deport illegal immigrants who falsely claim Indian citizenship. Those unable to furnish valid documents after the 30-day period face deportation, the Ministry noted.
