MDA meeting with Shah delayed by a day
NEW DELHI/ SHILLONG: The much awaited meeting of the MDA delegation led by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday night did not take place and the discussion on ILP has been scheduled for Thursday evening.
Sources said on Wednesday that though the MDA team was to call on Shah at 10 pm, due to some unforeseen situation, the delegation was informed that the meeting will take place on Thursday at 7 pm.
Shah will visit Arunachal Pradesh to attend the statehood day function and return on the same day to the national capital.
According to the state government, the agenda of the meeting with Shah proposed by the MDA coalition will be to urge the Centre to implement ILP in the state.
The MDA partners will also raise the demand for total exemption of Citizenship (Amendment) Act from Meghalaya as the exemption notified by the Centre covers only the areas under Sixth Schedule.
Earlier in the day, the Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organisations (CoMSO) protested against Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Parshottam Rupala, who visited ICAR, Umiam.
The activists carried placards and banners in protest against the delay on the party of the Centre to implement ILP in Meghalaya. They shouted pro-ILP slogans when the convoy of the minister reached the venue.
The CoMSO also asked the union home minister to give nod to the implementation of ILP in the state as the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly passed a resolution in this regard two months ago on December 19.
While welcoming the Centre for implementing developmental works in the state, the CoMSO said, “However, there is a need on the part of the Centre to approve ILP as there has been undue delay in taking decision”.
On Tuesday, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong had reiterated that the government was serious in pursuing the implementation of ILP in the state.
“Our priority is to see that ILP is implemented in Meghalaya and other options do not arise now and hence the MDA delegation is camping in Delhi”, Tynsong had said.