The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) staged a sit-in protest at Khyndai Lad, in front of the old Assembly building on August 18. Held from 12 noon to 3 pm, the protest was part of a coordinated demonstration across capitals of the Northeastern states, as resolved during a recent meeting of the North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) held in Guwahati on August 6.
Protesters held placards with slogans such as “Detect, Delete, Deport,” “Secure our border,” and “Save Khasiland from foreigners.”
Several organisations, including the Federation of Khasi Jaintia & Garo People (FKJGP), Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF) and Hynñiewtrep Integrated Territorial Organisation (HITO), joined the protest.
KSU general secretary Donald V Thabah told EastMojo that the protest was aimed at urging both the central and state governments to take firm measures against the influx of illegal immigrants into the region. He also stressed the demand for stricter laws and the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system in Meghalaya.
Earlier, NESO had expressed concern that illegal immigrants were allegedly acquiring official documents such as Aadhaar and Voter ID cards, which enable them to access citizenship benefits.
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