SHILLONG: Raising fresh concerns over unchecked migration into Meghalaya, the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) has pushed back more than 900 individuals of “doubtful origin” from Meghalaya’s interstate borders at Byrnihat and Ratacherra in just one week, citing failure to produce any valid identification or labor registration documents. The operation, conducted jointly with personnel stationed at infiltration check gates, comes amid mounting criticism over the Meghalaya government’s alleged inaction on curbing illegal influx and implementing key legal safeguards.
Roy Kupar Synrem, president of the HYC, delivered a blistering statement, underscoring the scale of the influx and the organization’s decision to step in where the government had, in their view, fallen short.
“Together with the infill personnel who are stationed at the infiltration check gates, we have been able to push back as many as 900 people in just one week who are trying to enter the state of Meghalaya without valid documents. These people are trying to enter the state even without any identity cards, they don’t have any EPIC, they don’t have any Aadhaar, they just have that acknowledgement slip, which they say they applied for from the labour department in order to come and work inside the state,” Synrem said.
He emphasized that the HYC’s intervention stemmed from the state government’s failure to enforce amendments made to the Meghalaya Migrant Workers Act, 2020—amendments that, although announced in August 2024, remain absent from implementation.
“In August 2024, the government of Meghalaya declared that it had brought certain amendments to the Migrant Workers Act, 2020. Two important provisions were inserted—one, enhancing the fine for employers failing to register their workers to ₹1 lakh; and two, setting up a centralized system to verify the antecedents of migrant workers, including any criminal records from their states of origin. But those two amendments still have not been implemented. We have not seen whether they have been published, not even in the official gazette,” Synrem pointed out.
The HYC claims the ongoing influx poses a demographic threat to the indigenous population, as more people continue entering without scrutiny or legal clearance. Synrem stated that members of the organization were stationed strategically—particularly at Byrnihat and Ratacherra—where they intercepted individuals who not only lacked documents but allegedly used forged registration slips to cross the border.
“Our exercise during the last one week has shown us that even the acts, even the rules that have been made by the State of Meghalaya, they are only on paper because nothing as such is being implemented on the field. Most of these migrant workers came in search of jobs but did not even apply for registration with the Labour Department,” he said.
He further revealed disturbing instances of fraud involving registration cards: “One of the examples that we got is that the registration card was issued on 1st February 2026. Now, we are in the middle of August 2025. The question is—how did that person get a card issued for a future date? This shows that the registration cards are being misused. There are people who are selling them, forging them, and milking money out of those who are trying to enter the state illegally.”
Calling for urgent state intervention, Synrem demanded that the Labour Department and police work jointly to ensure a robust vetting process is enforced at infiltration check gates.
“Our demand from the Labour Department is that they should work in tandem with the police department to ensure that people of doubtful origin should not enter the state. Secondly, those migrant workers who want to enter the state in search of jobs must first apply for a registration card. If the documents are verified and the card is issued, then only should they be allowed to enter Meghalaya,” he said.
Clarifying HYC’s stance, he added, “We have no problem with people who are genuine Indian citizens, but we have a lot of doubt whether these people who are entering the state are really genuine Indian citizens or not. Because of the situation happening all around India—look at Assam, where illegal immigrants are being chased out. Even from West Bengal, there is a lot of infiltration from Bangladesh. We are concerned about the demographic situation in Meghalaya. We are concerned about our community as a whole.”
