HSPDP to launch awareness campaign
SHILLONG: The State Congress has refuted HSPDP’s claim that some Congress MLAs are in favour of implementation of Inner Line Permit (ILP) system in the state.
Speaking to reporters here on Tuesday, Congress leader and Cabinet Minister Al Hek said, “Congress is united on the issue of ILP.”
It may be mentioned here that HSPDP leader Ardent Basaiawmoit had recently claimed that some Congress MLAs were supporting the ongoing agitation of pro-ILP groups.
Reacting to a query on ILP demand, Hek, who represents Pynthorumkhrah constituency in the state Assembly, said “The state needs to flourish and Meghalaya cannot remain stagnant and isolated from the world.”
It may be mentioned that political parties of the state are divided over the issue of ILP as most of the regional parties are in favour of introduction of ILP while the national parties such as Congress and NCP are against it.
HSPDP’s campaign: Meanwhile, HSPDP has decided to launch a campaign to create awareness among the indigenous populace on the importance of Inner Line Permit (ILP) system to check influx of illegal migrants.
“We are going to organise meetings in Khasi and Jaintia Hills where the leaders of the party would speak on ILP,” HSPDP vice president Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit said here on Tuesday.
“We do not want people to blindly support ILP,” he said.
Reacting to Government’s argument that ILP would hamper growth and development of the State, Basaiawmoit said “this is totally misleading”.
“We need to understand that ILP is a law aimed at regulating entry of outsiders. It is surprising that Government is trying to relate this law with growth and development,” the HSPDP leader said.
While asserting that the implementation of ILP have several advantages, he said that the first major advantage of this law is that it can help reducing the crime rate in the State.
The HSPDP also rubbished the argument that ILP is a colonial law which is no longer relevant in the present era.
“If ILP is a colonial law then the Government should do away with the European Ward which has been existing since the British time. Government should convert the European Ward into scheduled area where the provisions of the Sixth Scheduled would be applicable,” HSPDP vice-president said.
“We have seen how ILP has successfully been implemented in Mizoram. We can replicate the same in Meghalaya,” Basaiawmoit added.