Shah to visit Meghalaya on July 24-25, NGOs seek appointment to discuss ILP, other issues

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 22, 2021

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be visiting the state on July 24 and 25 even as pressure groups are eager to get an appointment with him for discussion on important issues including the need to implement Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the state.

As per his tentative programme, Shah will inaugurate the Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT) at Mawiong and the Cryogenic Plant at Umsawli on July 24, a government statement informed on Thursday.

The union home minister will also visit Sohra on July 25 to inaugurate the afforestation project at Wahshari and Greater Sohra Water Supply Scheme at Khliehshnong near Ramakrishna Mission.

Ahead of his visit, leaders of different NGOs also met senior BJP leader and cabinet minister AL Hek for urging the union home minister to meet them.   

“I met a few of the NGOs and they have requested me for an appointment with the union home minister,” Hek told reporters after the meeting.

“I am trying my best to see how they will fit in. Tomorrow I will also talk to the Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma in this regard so that some time is given to the NGOs to put their points of demands before the home minister,” he said.

Hek however refused to comment on the statement of the NGOs that they may be compelled to take stern action in case the union home minister denied them audience.

Those meeting the cabinet minister include NGOs under the banner of the Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organizations (CoMSO) and Hynniewtrep Integrated Territorial Organization (HITO).

CoMSO chairman Robertjune Kharjahrin told reporters that they have sought the intervention of Hek as a senior BJP leader since they are yet to get any confirmation of whether they will be allowed to meet the union home minister or not.

He said the group of organizations would like to meet Shah to apprise him on the various important issues of the state which include the need to implement the ILP, border dispute, inclusion of Khasi language to the Eighth Schedule and amendment to the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India.

“We also requested him (Hek) as one of the senior BJP leaders to impress upon the union home minister on the genuine demand of the people for implementation of ILP and also to once and for all settle the long pending boundary dispute between Assam and Meghalaya,” Kharjahrin, also president of the Hynniewtrep Youth Council, said.

Asked, the CoMSO leader said that the BJP leader had assured the delegation to carry the message and the demand even as he expressed hope that they will be given appointment to meet the union home minister.

“We are very much prepared to voice the genuine demand of the people of the state in case an appointment is given to meet him,” he said, adding that since Shah is a Z Plus category, such kind of confirmation will come at the last hour.

On the other hand, Kharjahrin also informed that the CoMSO had met and lobbied with leaders of the different political parties – NPP, UDP, HSPDP, PDF and BJP – that they should speak the voice of the people.

“We hope that they will carry the message,” he said.

To another query, the CoMSO leader maintained that “in case Shah does not honour our wish, at the end of the day we are a pressure group, we know what to do.”