Balyan to convince Shah to meet NGOs over ILP issue

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJanuary 15, 2020

SHILLONG: Union Minister of State for Animal Husbandry Sanjeev Kumar Balyan arrived in the city on Wednesday, only to be greeted with protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019 and delay of the Centre to approve the resolution on Inner Line Permit (ILP).

Balyan was attending a meeting to elect the new president of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Meghalaya.

Several society groups under the banner of the Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organization (CoMSO) have decided to protest against the visits of any union minister to the state as a mark of opposing the step-motherly treatment by the Centre in approving the ILP demand.

Knowing about Balyan’s visit, activists of the CoMSO took out a surprise protest march towards the BJP state office but were stopped by officials of the district administration and police.

“Tell Amit Shah to approve the ILP resolution in Meghalaya”, “No CAA implement ILP in Meghalaya” – read some of the placards carried by the protesters.

The CoMSO leaders told the district officials that the protest was a peaceful one and that they had no intention to create any law and order problem but their request was not granted.

Later on being informed about the protest, the union minister of state through a BJP worker invited the group for a meeting.

After the meeting, Balyan told reporters that it was his duty to meet anybody who want to meet him and that the meeting held with the group was a good one.

He informed that the group has expressed that they wanted to meet the union home minister Amit Shah on the issue related to the CAA and ILP.

“I have assured them that I will meet the union home minister and I will request him to give appointment to the NGOs from the state,” Balyan said.

On the other hand, CoMSO spokesman and HYC vice president Donboklang Kharlyngdoh said the delegation had informed the union minister of state for Animal Husbandry to convey the message to the Centre that Meghalaya urgently need ILP.

“We also asked him (Balyan) to send a strong message to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to immediately call the state government delegation and approve the resolution to implement ILP passed by the state Assembly,” he said.

Kharlyngdoh also reminded that the December 13, 2019 protest had reflected that the people of Meghalaya want ILP and this unanimous voice had even compelled the opposition Congress, which earlier was against ILP, to support the demand.