KSU seeks Meghalaya Governor’s intervention on 6 pending issues, including ILP and Khasi Language

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaSeptember 25, 2024

The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) on Wednesday submitted a 6-point memorandum to Meghalaya Governor CH Vijayashankar, urging his intervention in several critical issues. These include the immediate implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP), the repeal of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), inclusion of the Khasi language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, exemption from the Indo-Nepal Friendship Treaty of 1950, resolution of the border dispute with Assam, and the establishment of a permanent Central Agricultural University in the state.

KSU general secretary Donald V Thabah, in the memorandum, emphasized the union’s continuous efforts to draw the Centre’s attention to the need for ILP implementation in Meghalaya. Despite these efforts, the KSU and the public have yet to receive any positive response from the Central Government, leading to anxiety and uncertainty.

“We humbly appeal to you, Sir, to facilitate the swift implementation of ILP in Meghalaya through your intervention with the Central Government,” Thabah urged. He further stressed that the regions of Meghalaya were integral to the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR) 1873, making the inclusion of the state under the ILP essential for the survival and security of the indigenous tribes.

Thabah also warned that Meghalaya is slowly experiencing a demographic shift, similar to Tripura and Assam, where indigenous communities have been overwhelmed by migrants. He reiterated the KSU’s demand for the immediate repeal of the CAA, expressing concern over its impact on Meghalaya’s fragile demographic balance. The state, he noted, has faced continuous illegal immigration since the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, leading to tensions between indigenous and migrant communities.

While clarifying that the KSU’s demand to repeal the CAA is not against any religion or community, Thabah stated that the union’s primary concern is the survival of Meghalaya’s indigenous tribes, particularly in the face of large-scale immigration from Bangladesh. “The survival and protection of the tribal communities of India are of utmost importance to maintain the nation’s social fabric,” he said, urging the Governor to push for the CAA’s repeal.

The KSU also requested the Governor to advocate for Meghalaya’s exemption from the Indo-Nepal Friendship Treaty of 1950, which grants Nepali citizens immediate Indian citizenship. Thabah noted that the state has witnessed a significant influx of Nepali migrants since the 1980s, leading to land conflicts and threats to the indigenous population.

In addressing the ongoing border dispute with Assam, Thabah called for the Governor’s guidance to ensure that areas under the jurisdiction of tribal Khasi chiefs are included in Meghalaya’s territory. He highlighted that the unresolved territorial conflicts between the two states have resulted in tensions and loss of innocent lives over the years.

On the language issue, Thabah reiterated the long-standing demand for the inclusion of Khasi in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. He mentioned that the KSU has been advocating for this since 1992 and that the state government passed a resolution supporting this demand in 2018.

The union also requested the Governor to ensure the establishment of a Central Agricultural University in Meghalaya, a project that has been pending since 2010. Despite an agreement between the Central and state governments and the acquisition of land for the university in Ri Bhoi district, the project remains stalled.

“The KSU fervently appeals to you, Sir, to fulfill the long-awaited aspirations of the indigenous tribals of the state by addressing these pressing issues,” Thabah stated in the memorandum.