The Voice of the People Party (VPP) on Wednesday, April 23, alleged that Meghalaya has no official estimate of illegal immigrants and called for a “foolproof mechanism” to identify and deport them.

VPP chief Ardent M Basaiawmoit made the remarks following a rally, stating that the state government has not released any data on undocumented migrants.

“As of now, there is no proper record; there is no estimate that the government has come out with, unlike in Assam,” he said.

Referring to figures presented by the Assam government, Basaiawmoit claimed there has been a steady rise in illegal immigration in the neighbouring state, while Meghalaya has not undertaken a similar exercise.

He said the government must ensure that undocumented migrants are excluded from official records. “A foolproof exercise is needed to detect these illegal immigrants. They should not be included in the census; they should be detected and deported,” the VPP legislator said.

Basaiawmoit also cautioned that enforcement actions in Assam could have spillover effects in Meghalaya.

Indicating a change in approach, he said the party would not formally submit its demands to the government. “We are not going to give anything in writing. Let the government get information through the media only,” he added.

The VPP leader said the party would organise meetings across districts and march towards the state secretariat “at the right time” to press for its demands.

The rally also raised concerns over the functioning of the Meghalaya Public Service Commission, District Selection Committees, pending demands of teachers, and unresolved border disputes. The party alleged that the government has failed to address the aspirations of the Khasi-Jaintia community.