Meghalaya delegation to attend meeting on CAB in Delhi

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaNovember 29, 2019

SHILLONG: The delegation of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government led Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Friday left for New Delhi to attend the meeting called by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah. 

Shah will also be meeting different political parties and civil society organizations from the state to seek their views on the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016. 

Sources said that Sangma was accompanied by deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong, Assembly Speaker Metbah Lyngdoh, Sports minister Banteidor Lyngdoh and others. 

Congress leader of opposition and former chief minister Mukul Sangma will also attend the meeting besides leaders of the different political parties including NPP, NCP, UDP, HSPDP, PDF, BJP.

However, lone KHNAM legislator Adelbert Nongrum has expressed strong disappointment for the failure of the government to include the party as part of the delegation. 

Besides, the three autonomous district councils – KHADC, JHADC and GHADC have also sent their respective representatives to attend the meeting. 

Earlier, deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong had informed that the Union home minister will be meeting a delegation of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government at 12 pm on November 30. 

Asked, Tynsong had said that the state government will convey its unanimous decision against the implementation of the CAB in Meghalaya. 

“From the beginning, our government has maintained its clear stand that we are against the CAB and we will reiterate this stand before the union home minister in New Delhi,” he said.

Meanwhile, the NGOs from the state will also attend the meeting in order to express strong opposition against the Centre’s move to implement the CAB in Meghalaya and the North East region. 

Chairman of the North East Students’ Organization (NESO), Samuel B Jyrwa informed that they have received the invitation letter for attending the said meeting and the organization has unanimously decided to demand the Centre to respect the sentiments of the NE people. 

“We will make our stand clear that the Centre should not implement the CAB in the region and it should think twice before it decides to trample upon our rights,” Jyrwai said. 

Jyrwa and KSU chief Lambok Starwell Marngar at present are camping in New Delhi to seek the support of the different political parties against the move to re-introduce the CAB in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. 

Meanwhile, the North East Indigenous Peoples’ Forum (NEIPF)-Meghalaya Chapter led by its convener and president of the Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) Wellbirth Rani informed that the Forum will also attend the meeting called by Shah. 

He said that the Forum will not only oppose the CAB but will demand the Centre to allow the states in the NE to implement laws to regulate the entry of outsiders. 

“Instead of demanding for exemption, we feel that we should ensure that the Centre should include a provision in the CAB to empower the states with the power to regulate entry of outsiders into their respective territory,” Rani said. 

Meanwhile, the Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organizations (CoMSO) a conglomerate of 12 anti-influx groups will also participate in the ensuing meeting.