SHILLONG, Jan 16: The Conrad K. Sangma–led MDA government has decided to invite all stakeholders, including political parties and civil society organisations, to discuss its proposal for an ILP-like provision under the proposed Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, aimed at addressing the issue of influx and illegal immigration.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said opposition to the proposal without understanding its contents was premature. “We will invite all political parties and civil society organisations to discuss this proposal. It would be incorrect to jump to conclusions without actually seeing the content and the entire mechanism of how we plan to move forward,” he said.
Emphasising a constructive and issue-based approach, the chief minister said the core concern was illegal immigration, not the nomenclature of the law. “Our issue is illegal immigration. The issue is not ILP, it is not the Immigration Act, it is not MRSSA. We need laws and mechanisms to check it,” Sangma stated.
Urging opposition parties to engage in dialogue, he added, “We are not saying that what we have proposed is absolutely right. We could be wrong. But we can reach that conclusion only if we have dialogue and discussions.”
According to Sangma, the government is attempting to strike a balance between the need for restrictions on illegal immigration and the concerns raised by the public and civil society groups. “We are trying to explore whether this is a possibility and whether it can serve the purpose of having an effective mechanism to restrict illegal immigration,” he said.
He stressed that the proposal is still at an exploratory stage and consensus would be sought before any move forward. “We need to discuss this issue with political parties and organisations. Only after explaining clearly how we plan to go ahead and after building consensus will we move forward. Simply rejecting the idea outright is not how political leadership or organisations should approach such a serious issue,” Sangma said.
Responding to opposition leader Mukul Sangma’s claim that the government has failed to implement the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), the chief minister refuted the allegation. “MRSSA is being implemented and in many localities the system has already been put in place,” he said.
Acknowledging challenges in implementation, Sangma cited infrastructure gaps and investment requirements but maintained that progress has been made. “There are challenges and certain infrastructure needs to be created, but in a large number of areas, implementation is ongoing and expanding,” he added.
On the opposition’s challenge to bring in a new law if the government lacks faith in MRSSA, Sangma said that was precisely what was being discussed. “To bring a new law or system is exactly what we are talking about, because there are certain challenges within MRSSA,” he said.
Highlighting discrepancies between the MRSSA Act and its rules, the chief minister pointed to the issue of entry and exit checkpoints. “The rules mention the creation of check gates, but the Act itself does not provide for such checkpoints. Since rules are framed based on the Act, this mismatch creates legal complications. Without amending the Act, certain provisions in the rules cannot be implemented,” he explained.
Reiterating the need for inclusive discussions, Sangma said, “That is why we want to discuss this matter with political parties, organisations and all stakeholders to see how best we can address the issue of illegal immigration.”
