Agitations not to stop till ILP is implemented in Meghalaya: CoMSO

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaSeptember 18, 2019

SHILLONG: Anti-influx groups on Wednesday maintained that the state will continue to witness different forms of agitations till the state government is ready to implement the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system to check and prevent illegal entry and settlement of outsiders in the state.

The decision was taken after a meeting convened by the chief minister Conrad K Sangma with a delegation of the 12 social organizations under the banner of the Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organizations (CoMSO) at his official residence here.

This also came a day after the CoMSO has organized a public meeting at Motphran to protest against the adamant attitude of the government towards its demand.

Earlier, the group of social organizations has also submitted its suggestions by stressing on the need to incorporate the provisions of the ILP in the proposed amendment of the Meghalaya Residents, Safety and Security Act, 2016.

Chairman of the confederation, Robertjune Kharjahrin told reporters that although the meeting was a positive one but however it was not fruitful since the government is yet to implement the ILP in the state.

“The chief minister has assured the delegation that the state government is on the same page and is considering of incorporating the important provisions of the ILP in the MRSSA, 2016,” he said.

Kharjahrin, also president of the Hynniewtrep Youth Council, informed that the delegation has also expressed concern over the inability of the state Cabinet to approve the proposed amendment Bill of the MRSSA for its introduction and passing in the just concluded Assembly’s autumn session.

“However, the chief minister told us that the state Cabinet may require sitting in one or two more cabinet meetings before finalising the matter and that they will do it at the earliest possible,” he said.

Asked, the chairman of the confederation however said the state government cannot afford to delay in coming up with an effective law to protect the indigenous community in the wake of the publication of the Assam’s NRC final list and the Centre’s move to implement the CAB.

Keeping this in mind, Kharjahrin said the CoMSO has decided to go ahead with its proposed agitation on September 20, which will be followed by other programmes.

“We want to be clear that our agitations will only stop till the state government is ready to put in place an effective law in the form of an ordinance or an act, to protect the interest of the indigenous tribal people of the state,” he said.

When asked, Kharjahran however said there is no confusion about their stand on ILP. “We decided to provide suggestions for giving more teeth to the existing MRSSA, because passing a new law will take time,” he said.

The suggestions of CoMSO include bringing of legal provision which bars outsiders from entering the state without valid permission, penalize any person who enters or stays in the state without permission, and the permission should have validity of 179 days, and bar non-indigenous people to have land rights in the state.

The state government was also asked to implement the National Register of Citizens with 1971 as the cut-off year, and delete other tribes from the Schedule Tribe (ST) Order, 1950 to prevent people from other parts of the Northeast to buy and own land in Meghalaya.