Shillong, Jan 11: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) on Saturday criticized the delay of the state delegation to put pressure on the Centre over the demand to implement the Inner Line Permit (ILP) and asked if the Centre has not called the state delegation or it is the state government which is sleeping over this issue.
“We do not know whether the Centre is not calling the state delegation or it is the state government which is sleeping over this issue. The resolution on ILP has been passed by the State Assembly and it is the duty of all the 60 MLAs to knock on the Centre’s door,†KSU president Lambokstarwell Marngar said after the general executive council (GEC) meeting of the Union on Saturday.
Welcoming the resolution passed by the State Assembly to urged the Centre to implement ILP in the state, the KSU leader said that the issue has been a long pending demand of the people of Meghalaya since 1987.
The KSU also decided to intensify protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019 while demanding from the Centre to implement ILP in Meghalaya.
“The Union has unanimously decided during the GEC meeting not to accept the CAA but continue protesting against this unconstitutional act,” Marngar said.
The Union also warned that it would put up its own check gates if the state government continued to delay the implementation of the MRSSA, 2016.
Under this Act, the state government should also set up entry-exit points to check entry of outsiders into the state.
On the CAA, the KSU president said that the Union through the North East Students’ Organization (NESO) had already filed a petition before the Supreme Court against the CAA.
“We are waiting for the hearing on the matter which is scheduled on January 22,†he said.
Announcing that protest against CAA and demand for ILP will be intensified, Marngar said democratic movement will continue.
The KSU will also hold public meetings across Khasi-Jaiñtia Hills region scheduled at Mawsynram on January 16 and Nongstoiñ on January 18.
Marngar said that the state and its people are waiting for the Centre’s decision on ILP while asking the state government to immediately implement the existing Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA).
“It has been three years ever since the MRSSA has come into existence, but Act seems to end only in the Secretariat and the Governor’s office. Therefore, it is high time for the state government to take steps to ensure that the existing Act is implemented,†he said.
He recalled that 41 locations have been identified for setting up of entry-exit points which comprised of 18 locations in Khasi-Jaiñtia Hills and 23 in Garo Hills and asked the state government to speed up the process.
Stating that the state government had from time to time maintained that the setting up of infrastructure for entry-exit points will take time, Marngar said that if Manipur which recently got ILP can immediately start the process of checking and issuing permits from temporary structures, then why there is difficulty for Meghalaya to do the same.
“Since the state already has its infiltration check gates, why not strengthen them while the setting up of entry-exit points is pending,†he suggested.