Meghalaya faces threat of fresh agitation

Shillong, Feb 24 (HS):  Meghalaya is all set to witness tough in the coming days with the Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organizations (CoMSO) deciding to intensify its agitation in demand for the Centre to implement the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Meghalaya and KSU sending a clear message to the Centre and the state government on the same issue.

The COMSO made its stand public after Union Home Minister Amit Shah told a delegation of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government that the Centre is examining a resolution passed by the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.

Expressing its disappointment over the fact that the MDA delegation returned to Meghalaya without any concrete decision on ILP, COMSO chairman, Robertjune Kharjahrin said, “We had expected that the Centre will implement ILP in Meghalaya. This is no good news for the people of the state.”

Kharjahrin also said that there was nothing to examine on the ILP since the law has been there since the time when the British ruled the country. He also said that currently four states are under ILP.

“We don’t understand why what could be given to Manipur, can’t be given to Meghalaya,” Kharjahrin added.

He also said that the COMSO will not deviate from its demand to implement ILP in the state.

It may be mentioned that there are calls to speed up the implementation of various laws like the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act, Article 371 among others to safeguard the indigenous people of the state from the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.

Kharjahrin also said that the ‘direct action’ agitation sponsored by the COMSO will continue in the state.

During the first phase of the ‘direct action’ agitation members of the COMSO checked documents of people along the inter-state and international boundary with Assam and Bangladesh respectively.

Terming the stand of the Centre as unacceptable, KSU president Lambok Marngnar said that the Centre must respect the sentiments of the people and even the Assembly had a passed a resolution for ILP in the state. “We will prepare for aggressive agitation and in the next few days, the new EC will sit and chalk out the strategies to pressurize the Centre,” Marngar said.

He also said that right from the time the Centre implemented CAA, the state is facing a big threat especially related to influx.

He said that Bangladeshis even went to the extent of attacking BSF personnel and people in border areas and if the Centre and state cannot address the matter, the KSU and its members will take the matter into their own hands.