Shillong, June 24: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has strongly opposed the Meghalaya Government’s reported plan to convert the Facilitation Centre at Umling in Ri Bhoi district into a food court, arguing that the facility was established to monitor the entry and exit of people into the state and should not be repurposed.
In a press statement issued on Wednesday, the KSU said it had learnt through media reports that the government intended to allot the facility to food chains such as KFC, Starbucks, Subway and others. The union clarified that it was not opposed to such companies setting up businesses in Meghalaya, but maintained that the Facilitation Centre was not an appropriate location for commercial use.
The union stated that the Facilitation Centre was created under the Meghalaya Residents Safety & Security Act (MRSSA), 2016, following the agitation for the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP). According to the KSU, the centre serves as an entry and exit monitoring point and remains an important mechanism for regulating the movement of people into the state until ILP is introduced.
The KSU alleged that amendments made to the MRSSA in 2019, before the Act was fully implemented, led to legal challenges, resulting in the High Court staying the operation of the Facilitation Centre. It further claimed that the state government did not appeal the court’s decision, indicating a lack of intent to enforce the Act.
Questioning the government’s commitment to safeguarding the interests of indigenous people, the union expressed concern over the absence of effective laws to regulate the influx of outsiders into Meghalaya. It also pointed out that while the MRSSA has remained unimplemented for nearly a decade, amendments to the Meghalaya Identification, Registration (Safety & Security) of Migrant Workers Act have yet to be enforced despite earlier assurances.
The KSU also noted that neighbouring states, including Assam, West Bengal and Arunachal Pradesh, have taken measures against illegal migrants, and questioned why Meghalaya had not adopted stronger mechanisms to monitor migration. It argued that the responsibility of regulating illegal entry should not rest solely on pressure groups and called on the government to take proactive action.
Highlighting the importance of the Facilitation Centre, the union said the checkpoint would help monitor the movement of people entering the state, particularly at a time when neighbouring states are carrying out eviction drives against illegal settlers. It added that the facility could also aid in preventing the smuggling of drugs and enhance overall public security.
The KSU warned the Meghalaya Government against converting the Facilitation Centre into a food court and demanded the immediate implementation of the MRSSA, 2016, saying the move was essential for protecting the interests and security of the people of the state.
