Shillong: Terming the illegal infiltration as "a serious threat to the Northeast", Meghalaya Chief Minister Donkupar Roy today said the infiltrators were even influencing elections in some parts of the country.

"Illegal infiltration from Bangladesh is a very serious threat to the region. At some places of the country, the migrants are influencing outcome of elections," Roy told a function here.

Taking a dig at some organisations supporting the immigrants, Roy said, "When these illegal migrants are apprehended by security agencies, some organisations tend to protest branding the migrants as genuine Indian citizens. It is unfortunate, I have personal experience of this".

He said the issue could not be handled by the government machinery alone. "While the government needs to be firm, the people also have to cooperate to check the menace," Roy said.

The CM also urged the BSF and the border residents to work hand in hand to check infiltration from across the border.

The Chief Minister also favoured opening of border trade.

"The border haats can be opened in places belonging to India that lies outside the border fencing. The trade would help check infiltration," he said, adding that in the Meghalaya border it was easy to differentiate between a migrant and a local due to their looks.

Source : PTI