Meghalaya MP presses PM Modi for Inner Line Permit amid border security concerns

Shillong MP Ricky Andrew Jones Syngkon has approached Prime Minister Narendra Modi with urgent demands for implementing Inner Line Permit regulations in Meghalaya, citing growing concerns over illegal migration and border security vulnerabilities.

The Voice of the People Party legislator presented a detailed memorandum highlighting the pressing need for protective measures as demographic pressures threaten tribal communities' cultural identity and land rights. Syngkon emphasised that unauthorised settlements and encroachments on tribal lands, particularly near the Bangladesh border, have created serious socio-economic security challenges for indigenous populations.

Currently operational in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur, and Nagaland, the Inner Line Permit system would regulate outsider entry and preserve Meghalaya's unique tribal character. The state assembly had unanimously passed a resolution in December 2019 supporting this demand.

Border security emerged as another critical concern during the meeting. Syngkon requested deployment of three additional Border Security Force battalions along Meghalaya's 443-kilometre frontier with Bangladesh. The MP noted that only nine BSF battalions currently guard this extensive border, which runs through challenging hilly and forested terrain with numerous unfenced stretches.

The security gaps have made the region vulnerable to cross-border infiltration, smuggling operations, and illegal migration activities. Syngkon proposed comprehensive upgrades including drone surveillance systems, night vision equipment, functional scanners at checkpoints, and improved communication networks at border outposts.

The parliamentarian stressed that security enhancements must balance effectiveness with sensitivity toward cross-border communities, particularly among Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo populations who maintain close cultural and economic ties across the international boundary.