SHILLONG: With the State Government remaining adamant on its stand over implementation of ILP, the pro-ILP groups have announced a state-wide road blockade for three nights starting from October 7.
The night road blockade will be effective from 7pm to 5 am (next day).
Announcing this on Saturday, HNYF general secretary Sadon K Blah said “We would continue our agitation till Government accepts our demand to implement ILP.”
The fresh spell of agitation has come just ahead of the Durga Puja starting from October 11.
The state government has out rightly rejected the demand for ILP and instead has set the ball rolling for implementation of the ‘Meghalaya Regulation of Landlords and Verification of Tenants Bill, 2013.
Referring to efforts of Government to hurriedly notify the Tenancy Bill, he said that the proposed bill did not meet agitating groups’ demand as far as regulating the entry of migrants into the state is concerned.
“We are demanding for implementation of ILP since as per the census report of 2001-2011 there is an indication that the non-indigenous population exceeded the tribal population in many urban and sub-urban areas of the state,” Blah said. Stating that chief minister has shied away from addressing the issue of influx, Blah said, “This has prompted the pro-ILP groups to demand implementation of ILP.” Referring to government’s move to modify the Meghalaya Maintenance of Public Order (MMPO) and set up a special court to try ILP-related cases, Blah said the government wanted to subdue the democratic protests of 10 pressure groups.