Meghalaya will formally raise with Assam allegations that officials from the neighbouring state attempted to enrol residents of Langpih-area villages in Assam’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR), Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Prestone Tynsong said.
Tynsong said he had already directed Meghalaya’s Chief Secretary to take up the matter with his Assam counterpart. The issue would first be handled at the administrative level, with potential escalation to ministerial and Chief Minister levels if required.
Village Leaders Meet Tynsong
Village leaders from Kampaduli, Noapara and Bangjung met Tynsong on Wednesday, accompanied by Rymbai MDC Lurshai Kharbani. They flagged visits by Assam officials to the villages.
The intervention follows a September 3 confrontation at Noapara, when Assam officials reportedly entered the village to conduct a census-related exercise without permission from the headman or district administration. Residents and leaders, also accompanied by Rambrai-Jyrngam MLA Remington G. Momin and Kharbani, subsequently met West Khasi Hills police to demand a temporary police camp at Noapara.
Villagers Report Enrolment Attempts
Kharbani said villagers reported that Assam officials had visited the previous week and attempted to persuade residents to join Assam’s SIR.
“Our people said no, because we are already enrolled in Meghalaya. Why do we have to enrol again in Assam?” Kharbani said. He noted he had not personally confirmed that any family was forced to enrol and would verify with residents.
In a memorandum, Langpih-sector villagers stated their settlements are entirely Garo, that they have chosen to live under Meghalaya, that land is registered in the state, that most working residents are employed under the Meghalaya government, and that their ancestors have voted in Meghalaya since 1972. They said Meghalaya’s enumeration and SIR are already complete and that approximately 85 percent of residents have begun deleting Assam-issued voter IDs.
Government Response
Tynsong said the demand for a temporary outpost would be examined. Meghalaya already operates two Border Out Posts in the Langpih area. He has asked the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police to assess security needs.
The government’s position is that the SIR allegation will first be taken up through the two Chief Secretaries, while the request for additional police presence will be evaluated separately against existing infrastructure in West Khasi Hills district.