NRC impact: Migrants, immigrants unable to return to Meghalaya, Nagaland

Guwahati (Assam), Aug 1 2018:

Despite the ruckus created in Parliament by the opposition and so-called national media’s relentless coverage, the full impact of the complete draft of National Register of Citizens (NRC) published on Monday is yet to be fully felt properly in Assam.

However, its repercussions have been felt in the neighbouring States already, particularly in Meghalaya and Nagaland, where a large number of immigrants work as labourers in various construction sites, besides migrants from Assam who are involved in various trades.

Now, after having returned to Assam to check their names in the draft NRC, most of them are unable to return as vigil has been stepped in these States along the inter-State borders following publication of the NRC draft. And not only the police, even student bodies and various social organisations of the neighbouring States are checking for documents like voters’ identity cards, Aadhar cards, proof of NRC, etc, before allowing them in.

And many are reportedly being turned away for failing to furnish these documents.

The situation has particularly become acute in Nagaland where construction activities have been hit in some areas for the past three days due to scarcity of immigrant labourers, even as few shops and business establishments remained shut as their migrant owners have been unable to return, sources claimed.

Ever since the complete NRC draft was published, both the police and social organisations in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya and Nagaland intensified monitoring in areas bordering Assam, fearing a large scale influx of illegal immigrants from it.