Pro-ILP groups storm Meghalaya Secretariat over delay to implement ILP

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaApril 16, 2021

Activists of the Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organizations (CoMSO) on Friday stormed the state’s Secretariat and took out a surprise protest against delay to implement the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the state. 

Around two hundred activists belonging to different organizations landed in front of the secretariat and started shouting slogans “No ILP, No Rest” and “MDA government down down”. Many vehicles were also stranded for nearly one hour as the road was blocked due to the sit in demonstration by the pro-ILP groups. 

Speaking to reporters, CoMSO leader and Hynniewtrep Youth Council general secretary Roykupar Synrem said today’s surprise protest was to send a strong warning to the state government not to take the people of the state for a ride. 

He said it has been more than one year now since the official resolution was passed by the State Legislative Assembly but the Central government is yet to give any commitment on whether the said resolution will be accepted or not. 

The CoMSO has also threatened to close down the secretariat if the state government fails to aggressively pursue the ILP demand with the Centre. 

“We have seen that the state government is also not taking this issue seriously. Therefore, we want to send this message to the state government that today we have come only 200-300 members of different organizations of the CoMSO and if it continues to take this issue lightly, a day will come that all citizens of the state will come in front of the secretariat and if needed, we will close down the secretariat,” Synrem said. 

He added, “It does not make sense to have the secretariat if the people whom we have elected fail to fulfill the long pending aspiration of the people.”