UDP-ICARE meet blames Mukul for ILP impasse
SHILLONG: With confrontation continuing between the agitating pressure groups and Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma over the issue of ILP, the UDP held a meeting with three members of civil society– Toki Blah, Patricia Mukhim and Sumarbin Umdor– on Monday wherein it was felt that implementation of a modified ILP is the need of the hour.
The UDP also observed that Government can experiment with the implementation of a modified ILP and it can be brought to the Assembly for further scrutiny if the implementation turns out to be against the interest of the State.
The UDP leadership criticized the Chief Minister for “lacking in tactic and diplomacy in tackling the current issue.”
“Though we did not pass any resolution, both the civil society members and UDP leadership have the unanimous view that the attitude of the State Government and that of the Chief Minister is not helping matters,” UDP Working President Paul Lyngdoh told reporters after the meeting with the members of Informed Conscious And Responsible Existence ( ICARE).
“Things would not have reached this stage, if the Chief Minister had the tactic and diplomacy on his part to deal with the issue,” Lyngdoh added.
The UDP leader said that an informal interactive session was held with the group of concerned citizens over the issue of implementation of ILP and the meeting was organized at the instance of Toki Blah who is the president of ICARE.
The meeting was aimed at finding a solution to the current impasse over the issue of ILP with the Chief Minister insisting on other measures to check influx.
ICARE leader Blah made a power point presentation on ways and means to resolve the issue of influx.
According to Lyngdoh, the UDP felt that a prolonged impasse over ILP was not in the interest of the State.
On the implementation of a modified ILP, Lyngdoh said, “UDP is very clear that the ILP of 1873 in the original form needs to be modified suitably in consonance with the local conditions and topography and economic interest of the people of Meghalaya without disturbing the demography of the indigenous people.”
He, however, asserted that the rights of non-indigenous communities residing in Meghalaya should not be hampered while taking steps to implement ILP.
The UDP leader also criticized the vote bank politics of the Congress by saying that the party is bringing in immigrants to the State so that candidates of the party can be elected to the Assembly.
According to Lyngdoh, the party does not want to see Meghalaya go Assam and Tripura way as far as the issue of influx of illegal migrants is concerned.