Demand for ILP
SHILLONG: Two women’s organisations – the Khasi Women Welfare and Development Association (KWWDA) and the Civil Society Women’s Organization (CSWO) – have decided to stage a sit-in demonstration at the Additional Secretariat Parking Lot on September 25 to protest against the adamant attitude of the government in implementing the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the State despite the positive recommendations of the High Level Committee on Influx constituted by the State Government.
The decision to stage the sit-in demonstration from 11 am to 3 am was taken in a meeting held between the members of the two organisations at the residence of CSWO president Agnes Kharshiing here on Sunday.
Informing about the decision, Kharshiing said that the meeting decided to seek the support of all traditional leaders, Seng Kynthei, religious leaders and youths who feel that the adamant attitude of the government is an inappropriate way of governance.
“The adamant attitude of the government tantamount to dictatorship,” said Kharshiing, adding that the sit-in demonstration would convey a strong message to the ‘political dictatorship’ that the power lies with the people.
Calling on stake holders from all quarters of the society to join the demonstration, Kharshiing said, “We are aware of the deteriorating system of Governance, which is a big threat to the society and the generation, the inflation of essential items which hits hard the common man, the loss of tribal land, the law being unequal, the youth being illegally deprived of their right to work, the abuse of power by many in Governance, the invasion by dubious companies, the substandard development, and this is accumulating as the days go by and we feel that the adamant attitude of the Government is a slap to Democracy and we cannot allow that.”
On possibilities of restrictions being imposed by the district administration on the proposed sit-in demonstration, Kharshiing, while referring to the Indian Constitution, pointing out that according to Article 19 (1), all citizens are permitted to have the right to assemble peacefully.
“We have taken this move of having a sit-in demonstration on September 25 as a mark of protest and the government servants serving for the State have to oblige,” she added.