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Former Home Minister and Chief Adviser to the Government of Meghalaya, Lahkmen Rymbui, has raised alarm over what he described as an “undeclare war” of infiltration along the Indo-Bangladesh border, linking it to the political uncertainty in the neighbouring country ahead of elections. He cautioned that the volatile situation across the border, with groups vying for dominance, is pushing people to seek refuge either in other parts of their own country or across international frontiers.
“The situation in Bangladesh is in flux we cannot say anything until unless there is an elections, the situation is not that conducive. There are many groups who try to exert their own dominance over others, in that scenario there is always an attempt by the people to go to some other part of their own country or some other country. Having said that the government of India has so many mechanism to curb the infiltration as much as possible. BSF who are the sentinel of the border, they are doing their job but they have to do more. It is easier to fight a declare war but it is very hard to fight the undeclare war. This is an undeclare war by the infiltrators who want to infiltrate into Indian territory,” Rymbui told Meghalaya News 24.
He underscored that Meghalaya is not insulated from these pressures, pointing to repeated cases of illegal migration reported in news, intercepted by the police, BSF, and even flagged by local NGOs and pressure groups. “There is an attempt of influx both inside and outside the country into the state of Meghalaya. This is the reality which the influx from illegal Bangladeshi we have seen in many times in many news reports, police BSF caught so many infiltrators along the border. And even the border people have reported this type of incidents happened every now and then. We have seen also the NGOs, pressure groups, they have caught so many people who are coming from outside the state. So this is the reality that there are attempts by many people who comes to Meghalaya in search of livelihood. Having said that it is the duty of each and every one of us, duty of the citizens to prevent this at all cost,” he said.
Rymbui argued that the state already has constitutional and legislative safeguards to deal with the issue, but insisted on effective execution. “Secondly, we have so many mechanism in the state of Meghalaya to prevent this type of illegal migrants, we have 6th Schedule, we have MRSSA 2016, we have other mechanism also to prevent infiltration from outside the state, or from across the border. Only thing is that we have to implement all mechanism in consultation with the Durbar Shnong and the villagers to prevent illegal immigration,” he stated.
On the long-standing demand for the Inner Line Permit, he maintained that the matter rests with the Centre. “The Inner Line Permit is not only the demand of the pressure groups, it is also the wish of the people of Meghalaya. That’s why you have seen that Meghalaya Legislative Assembly in 2019 passed the resolution that the ILP should be implemented in the state of Meghalaya. Having said that the issue remained with the Government of India and when and whether it will be applicable to Meghalaya or not that I cannot say right now, having said that I am glad that the government of Meghalaya from time to time have taken a measure to see that this issue of illegal immigration could be prevent as much as possible. So any mechanism which is to deter the infiltration bid in the state or any mechanism is welcome in Meghalaya,” Rymbui added.
Looking ahead, he expressed hope that a stable government in Bangladesh would pave the way for constructive engagement with India. “In any democracy elections is the need of the people so that the elected government whoever may be thar the government of the people by the people and for the people should be there. As of now we know it’s a caretaker government in Bangladesh so I hope that the elected government should be there in Bangladesh so that the India could talk face to face and India could seek their cooperation or could help directly to the people of Bangladesh, I wish Bangladesh should have an elections peaceful elections where everybody should participate at the earliest.”
