GUWAHATI: The Meghalaya government has cracked the whip against some organisations which are unauthorisedly checking documents, including work permit, of migrant labourers.The police registered four cases against these organisations which have been for long demanding the implementation of an inner line permit (ILP) in the state.Such raids by the organisations often end up the labourers being harassed, assaulted or driven away from the state. There have been instances when they were beaten to death by the miscreants at their workplace.In the latest incident, some labourers and a technician from a Delhi-based firm, engaged in the renovation of a stadium in Shillong, were assaulted allegedly by the members of an organisation on Saturday. The police arrested one person on Thursday for his alleged involvement in the incident.Taking cognisance of the incident, the Meghalaya Human Rights Commission registered a case suo motu and sought a detailed report from the police. The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) is one of the organisations checking the papers of labourers. It said it launched the drive as a mark of protest against the government’s delay in putting in place a mechanism such as ILP or Meghalaya Residents Safety & Security Act (MRSSA).The demand for ILP and MRSSA stems from the alleged influx of illegal migrants. Groups and organisations in the state believe ILP or MRSSA could protect the state’s minuscule indigenous population from illegal migration.According to Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, the implementation of ILP rests entirely on the Central government. He said his government was examining MRSSA. ILP is an official travel document issued to allow inward travel of an Indian citizen into a protected area for a limited period.Sangma said the state government viewed the activities of the pro-ILP groups as against the law. He said nobody had been authorised to check the documents of the migrant labourers.“There is nothing like work permit but there is a process in the state whereby labourers are registered by the Labour department for their safety,” Sangma said.The KSU had erected a check gate on an arterial road in the Ri Bhoi district but the police dismantled it in no time.
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