Illegal migrants issue: Checkgates not a problem, if technology is used, says Meghalaya Cong president

Meghalaya Congress President and Shillong Lok Sabha MP Vincent Pala has batted for use of technology to check entry of illegal migrants to the state.

The issue of illegal migrants has been one of the core issues because of which different sections of the society including the civil society as well as political parties raising demand for implementation of Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the state.

With Lok Sabha elections due this year, the issue has once again become the focal point.

Pala in an exclusive interview with Northeast Live, said that he believes that setting up checkgates will not be an issue provided that technology is put into use to check entry and exit of people.

He expressed this idea when he was asked about his response on Centre’s reported objections to set up checkgates in the state.

Pala said, “Checkgates should not be a problem if you look at the new technology. We have checkgates everywhere, but how it will checked, that is a problem. If you use the technology, for example the NHAI have checkgates everywhere but with the use of technology, there should not be a problem. Same for this infiltration and other things if you check it physically like it was done previously, there may be 10 trucks in a day, but today there are 10,000 trucks, so may be physically checking is not possible nowadays. It has to be the use of technology, we have to evolve, we have to come up. So we have to use technology and that technology should be fair and transparent, it should be pragmatic. I don’t there will be a problem if they use gates.”

To substantiate his idea, Pala referred to the visa system as well as the Parliament, where face recognition is being used for entry and exit.

The Congress leader stated, “If you go to other countries they give you a visa, so it is not that human checking. We will just put our passports and the visa, and they scan the QR code than everything will come. Same thing if anyone speaks about infiltration, ILP or any other Bill, if they use technology, suppose every resident will apply online, download online, get it online, so when they put it in the checkgate in the scanner, and than he or she goes. Nowadays in the Parliament also we have face reading which is linked to the Aadhar card. So it is not difficult, it is not impossible, but it is possbile with the use of technology.”

Expressing his views on the Meghalaya Residents Safety & Security Act (MRSSA) Pala said that the governement should examine the nitty gritties once again and if necessary make necessary adjustments.

He mentioned, “For a Bill which needs to be considered once the proposal is sent to examine, there will always be a correspondence, like there must be some amendments, to this or do that. So, I think the state should examine which is good and which is not good because whatever you make a Bill it is not only for Khasis or Garos or for Bengalis, it has to be for all. And the Bill you are to make should be within the ambit of the Constitution of India. So definitely there must be some corrections and adjustments which you have to adjust, adapt with the Constitution. So I think adoption and adaptation are also very important. The Bill will definitely find its place when adjustments has to be done here and there and corrections may have to be done. It may require additions or deletions but definitely since the state has moved it, I think if they do it they take it seriously and sincerely. I think it should be approved with some amendments may be required or some of the corrections wherever required.”