No foreigners since publication of NRC: Mizoram home minister

Aizawl: No foreigners have entered Mizoram since the publication of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam, home minister Lalchamliana informed the state legislature on Thursday.

Replying to a question from Lalchhuanthanga of opposition Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM), Lalchamliana said the government did not receive any report of “entry” or “attempt to enter” by foreigners after publication of NRC in neighbouring Assam in August.

He, however, informed the assembly that at least 202 foreigners, who possessed visas and passports, have visited the state during September till November 14 this year.

Earlier, opposition Mizoram People’s Conference (MPC) had alleged influx of illegal migrants from Assam after publication of the NRC and blamed the Mizo National Front (MNF) government headed by chief minister Zoramthanga for allegedly failing to protect the state from illegal influx.

The party alleged that there has been an unusual and speedy increase in the number of outsiders in various district headquarters of the state after the publication of the NRC.

Also Read: Mizoram Assembly passes bill to increase MLAs’ salary by over 130%

It also said that the speedy and abnormal increase of non-tribal population can cause demographic impact and hamper the business of the indigenous people.

In August, the Assam government had published final list of NRC in which more than 19 lakh people were excluded. Publication of the NRC created apprehension of mass infiltration in Mizoram.

Police sources said that security has been beefed up in the state and police stations and border outposts along the Mizoram-Assam border were alerted after the publication of NRC in the neighbouring state.

In September, the state government had also issued order instruction officials not to issue temporary Inner Line Permit (ILP) to those people whose names did not figure in the citizen list. Officials said that the number of temporary ILP issued from various ILP counters has drastically declined after the state government issued the order.

Three Mizoram’s districts — Kolasib, Aizawl and Mamit — share a 123-km border with south Assam’s Cachar, Hailakandi and Karimganj districts.

In March, the state legislature passed the Mizoram Maintenance of Household Registers Bill 2019, which seeks to detect foreigners in the state. The Bill is yet to receive the governor’s assent.