SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Legislative Assembly on Thursday unanimously passed the resolution on ILP after a long debate that continued for more than six hours.
The resolution was passed by voice vote during the session that was held under tight security.
The resolution urged the Centre to implement ILP in the state even as there were demands from the Opposition Congress to pass a similar resolution to oppose the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and exempt Meghalaya from it.
Moving the resolution on ILP during the special session of the Assembly on Thursday, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said the move is in the interest of the people of the state and that the protective system in the state is strengthened by way of ILP.
He said since it is an important resolution, there should not be any discussion and asked the House whether there is any need for further discussion.
Conrad pointed out that by the notification of December 11 this year, which included Manipur under ILP, the Centre has changed the Preamble of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act and the word Khasi-Jaintia was deleted though it was there in the earlier Act.
He said that it cannot be accepted if people from Bangladesh continue to come to the state.
Conrad said that he was called to Delhi more than four times to discuss the issue and he had expressed concerns of the state government.
With the Centre exempting 97 per cent of the state, which is under the Sixth Schedule, from the purview of the CAA, the chief minister admitted that there should be exemption of CAA in the remaining 3 per cent. “There should not be CAA even in the 3 per cent. We want to go for 100 per cent exemption instead of 97 per cent,” he added.
Stating that the fight has to continue, he said, “Are we satisfied? We are not.”
In the context of CAA, Conrad said that only two persons have applied for citizenship in the state. However, the chief minister categorically said they will not be eligible for it.
Referring to the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), Conrad said that the Act will ensure more protection for the state. He added that the Act has been given more teeth and assured that it will be implemented. Different localities will have awareness programmes on the Act, he informed.
Taking part in the discussion, Leader of Opposition Mukul Sangma called for immediate implementation of the MRSSA.
He said leaders should not be complacent because areas under Sixth Schedule and ILP are exempted from CAA and MRSSA must be implemented aggressively.
He urged the government to sanction posts as per the provisions of the Act.
Mukul also took exception to the frequent transfers of SPs, BDOs and other officers and questioned as to how the officers would function if there is frequent transfer. He said that the state government should ensure stability in blocks and at the state level.
Stating that the North East should not be painted with the same brush, Mukul said the state cannot address the issues of the people in isolation and that the areas of differences between Meghalaya and Assam should be resolved.
As for the chief minister’s statement that only two persons have applied for citizenship, Mukul pointed that even the Union Home Minister does not have figures of possible numbers.
He expressed concern over influx from Bangladesh as Meghalaya shares a long border with the neighbouring country unlike Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur. “The vulnerability is much more palpable in Meghalaya,” he said.
Referring to CAA, Mukul said he was disappointed and hurt as there was a collective stand to oppose the then Citizenship Amendment Bill. “Something else happened in the Lok Sabha. The lone member of NPP Agatha Sangma made it clear to the world that the NPP was extending support for the passage of CAB”. Mukul also added that the stand was an offshoot of the consultation with the party leaders and she will not go against the party,” he added.
Later, replying to the debate and questions raised by the legislators, Conrad said MRSSA came into existence in 2016 and the rules were framed in 2017 but in September 2018, the present government took steps to ensure that District Task forces are set up in different districts.
Admitting that there were a lot of exercises from the previous government to see that the entry and exit points are set up, Conrad added that no concrete steps were taken regarding land acquisition for the entry and exit points.
“Only our government acquired land and utilised the existing land for the construction of entry and exit points,” the chief minister said while informing that 50 per cent of the work in the entry and exit point at Mendipathar Railway station has been completed.
Referring to the statements of some members of the House who wanted to know whether ILP would be beneficial to the state, Conrad said that such statements are direct insults to the people of the state who are demanding ILP.
Castigating the previous Congress-led MUA government for keeping quiet when Khasi/Jaintia word was very much there in the preamble of the Eastern Bengal Frontier Regulation 1873, Conrad said that the previous government that time could have simply notified the ILP in the state since there was provision.
“Now the same people are doing a U-turn by saying that they want ILP,” he said.
The chief minister, who was also criticised for softening his stand on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, said before the Meghalaya government started its fight against the Act, the entire 23,000 sq km of Meghalaya was not exempted from CAB but now, 22,900 sq km of the state has been exempted from the purview of the Act.
“We will ensure that the remaining areas are also exempted from CAA,” he said even as he reiterated that the question of settlement of people from Bangladesh does not arise in the state.
Making it clear that the state government would continue its fight and even meet the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister for seeking full exemption, he added that after the CAB was passed, no application for citizenship would be forwarded to the government without the consent of deputy commissioners.
“We will ensure that the movement for ILP continues,” he said while adding that the resolution of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly for ILP need not go to Parliament as the President has to simply insert the word ‘Meghalaya’ in the preamble of the Eastern Bengal Frontier Regulation 1873.
