India’s Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, has said that his ministry would examine the Meghalaya government’s proposal of issuing work permits to Bangladeshis. Rijiju said, “the government would not take a decision that was harmful to the interests of the country or region.”
Giving his reaction on the Northeast Indian state of Meghalaya’s Chief Minister Conrad Sangma’s proposal of issuing of work permits to Bangladesh nationals, Rijiju said, “the idea has positive aspects. But we are looking into it. And whatsoever the decision, it won’t aggravate the existing problem of illegal immigration.”
Rijiju was speaking to reporters at Guwahati on Saturday.
“The union external affairs ministry and home ministry officials should discuss this matter. The pros and cons of the work permit should be examined as well,” added Rijiju.
Though the idea was proposed for Meghalaya by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, the union minister indicated that India’s central government would deeply mull over this matter for containing “illegal immigration” in Assam and other Northeast Indian states as well.
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