Students join hands on migrants

Kohima, July 22: Students from Assam and Nagaland have called for the detection and deportation of illegal migrants, residing along the Assam-Nagaland border, within a stipulated time-frame. The demand was raised at a joint meeting of the All Assam Students? Union (AASU) and the Naga Students? Federation (NSF) on Wednesday.

At the meeting in Guwahati, AASU general secretary Tapan Kumar Gogoi and NSF president Phushika Awomi signed a nine-point resolution, including the demand for ouster of illegal migrants.

The joint statement comes days after Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio declared that his government was considering bringing Dimapur under the purview of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) regulation.

According to the regulation, outsiders visiting Nagaland must possess an ILP. At present Dimapur is out- side the purview of this provision.

The two organisations also proposed a joint movement by students of Assam and Nagaland to resolve the inter-state boundary dispute amicably. Students from both organisations will visit the disputed area belt along the Assam-Nagaland boundary to ?ascertain ground realities?. The students also urged the state governments to start a dialogue on the contentious issue at the earliest.

The NSF pledged support to the AASU?s campaign for immediate fencing of the Indo-Bangla border and scrapping of the provisions of the citizenship act giving citizenship rights to foreigners who entered Assam before 2004.

The Nagaland administration is gearing up to face the effects of the Supreme Court?s striking down the IM(DT) Act. A meeting of district administration officials, scheduled for early next week, will discuss the Foreigners? Act and its implementation in the state.