Garo body flags constitutional crisis in Meghalaya, seeks PM Modi’s urgent intervention over illegal immigration

Sounding an alarm over what it described as a fast-unfolding humanitarian, constitutional and law-and-order crisis in Meghalaya’s Garo Hills, the Garoland State Movement Committee (GSMC) has issued an urgent SOS appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking immediate Central intervention to address illegal immigration, large-scale tribal land alienation and alleged administrative failure in Sixth Schedule areas.

In a memorandum submitted on Tuesday, January 13, GSMC General Secretary Tony Tojrang B. Marak said the situation in the Garo Hills has reached a “critical tipping point,” warning that continued inaction could have far-reaching consequences not only for Meghalaya but for the entire North-Eastern region.

The appeal follows the brutal killing of indigenous tribal youth Lt. Dilseng M. Sangma at Rajabala—an incident that has sent shockwaves across the region. The committee alleged that the crime involved members of a dominant community, many of whom are suspected to be illegal migrants from Bangladesh or adjoining areas of Assam. According to the GSMC, the incident has laid bare serious lapses in governance, policing and the enforcement of constitutional safeguards guaranteed under the Sixth Schedule.

Raising grave concerns over unchecked illegal immigration into Sixth Schedule areas, the organisation alleged widespread illegal and forceful occupation of tribal land, large-scale fabrication of Aadhaar cards and voter identity documents, and systematic misuse of administrative loopholes to legitimise unlawful settlements. Such practices, the memorandum said, pose a direct threat to indigenous land rights, demographic balance, national security and constitutional integrity.

The committee further called for a thorough probe into the possible role of foreign or organised funding networks facilitating illegal settlements and document forgery in the region.

Expressing strong dissatisfaction with the response of the Meghalaya government and the Autonomous District Councils, the GSMC accused the authorities of prolonged administrative inertia and institutional failure. It warned that such inaction has emboldened illegal networks while deepening fear, insecurity and a sense of injustice among law-abiding indigenous citizens.

“If left unaddressed, the unchecked influx and illegal settlements will irreversibly alter the demographic composition of the North-East, erode constitutionally protected tribal land rights and trigger long-term law-and-order challenges,” the memorandum stated, asserting that the crisis must be treated as an issue of national importance rather than a regional concern.

The committee urged the Centre to take decisive steps in coordination with state governments and Autonomous District Councils, including the identification and deportation of illegal migrants in accordance with law, reversal of illegal settlements on Sixth Schedule land, cancellation of unlawfully issued land and revenue documents, dismantling of document forgery networks, and fixing accountability on officials who failed to uphold their constitutional and statutory duties.

Reaffirming the Garo Hills’ commitment to peace, harmony and national unity, the GSMC said lasting stability can only be achieved through firm, impartial and uncompromising enforcement of the rule of law. It stressed that justice for Late Dilseng M. Sangma and the preservation of constitutional values demand urgent and resolute action from the Centre.