Shillong, Apr 11: Two organisations – Federation of Khasi Jaiñtia and Garo People (FKJGP) and Hynñiewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF) opposed chief minister Conrad K. Sangma’s idea of issuing work permit to Bangladeshi nationals and asked the state government to initiate the National Registration of Citizens (NRC) in the state.

“If your government is admitting the presence of a large number of foreign nationals in the state, we suggest that your government initiate the NRC process in Meghalaya and deport all foreign nationals,” a joint memorandum submitted to the chief minister by FKJGP and Hynñiewtrep National Youth Front said here on Wednesday.

“An idea floated by the chief minister is seen that the government is admitting the presence of a large number of Bangladeshi nationals in Meghalaya,” FKJGP president, Wellbert Rani and HNYF general secretary, Sadon K. Blah said.

Opposing any move to issue work permit to Bangladeshi nationals, they said that the present government is only trying to find out ways and means “to enable these parasitic foreign nationals earn their livelihood legally in our state. The tribal minority has already felt the pinch of the Indo-Nepal friendly treaty, and the proposal to grant work permit to Bangladeshis will only open another floodgate of influx and subsequent naturalization into full citizenship by the Bangladeshis.”

Seeking clarification as to how the State government intends to grant work permit to foreigners when Meghalaya has only the Meghalaya Interstate Migrant Workmen Act that seeks to protect the rights of locals in term of employment, the FKJGP and HNYF said, “Granting work permit to Bangladeshis will result in direct de-employment of the local people with lesser skills.”

Opposing the Centre’s move to grant citizenship to Hindu Bangladeshis, they said “we are equally not happy with intention of the state government to issue work permit to the Bangladeshis.”

They also argued that the decadal growth of Muslim population in neighboring Assam has increased from 30.9 % in 2001 to 34.2 % in 2011, whereas the country’s Muslim population has grown only marginally from 13.4 % to 14.2 % over the same period.

The two organizations also said that states in India that feel the pinch of Bangladeshis migrants like West Bengal and Tripura also opposed the Central government’s move to amend the existing laws to grant citizenship status to the Bangladeshis.