CoMSO threaten agitation over delay to implement ILP, MRSSA

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaNovember 13, 2020

Anti-influx groups under the banner of the Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organization (CoMSO)  have threatened to resort to agitation against the delay of the Centre to implement the Inner Line Permit (ILP) and returning of the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security (Amendment) Bill, 2020 by the Governor, Satya Pal Malik.

“We will continue to oppose implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act and will ensure not a single illegal Bangladeshi will get citizenship through this Act in Meghalaya,”CoMSO chairman Robertjune Kharjahrin said in a statement issued today.

He said the confederation will immediately sit for its meeting next week, to chalk out agitational programmes against the apathy of the Central government.

This came after the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma had informed the Assembly that the Centre is still examining the state government’s resolution for implementation of the ILP to keep check on the unabated influx into the state.

On the status of the MRSSA amendment Bill passed by the House, Sangma had informed that the Governor had returned the Bill and that the state government is examining the comments and suggestions of the governor.

Opposing the action of the governor, the CoMSO also questioned if the government does not have competent people to do the job that they need lessons from the governor.  

“We cannot accept the decision of the governor, who instead of listening to the decision taken by the MLAs in the Assembly has returned the Bill as if the government requires him to teach them,” Kharjahrin, also president of the HYC, said.

“Therefore, we demand the state government to immediately send back the MRSSA amendment Bill to the governor (through an ordinance or through a special session of the Assembly) for him to approve the same without further delay,” he added.

Expressing disappointment on the delay to implement the ILP, the CoMSO leader said one Christmas has gone and the next is coming, yet the Centre is still undecided on the ILP, which is a long pending aspiration of the people in the state.

“This step-motherly treatment by the Centre against Meghalaya and the soft attitude of the state government is something which we can no longer acceptable to us as we have been patient enough with the hope that we get ILP but now it seems there is need to come out to the street to ensure our demand is achieved,” Kharjahrin said.