Govt initiates backdoor talks
SHILLONG: The State Government has initiated backdoor parleys with the pressure groups so that the latter show some flexibility while discussing the Meghalaya Regulation of Landlords and Verification of Tenants Bill, 2013.
An official source indicated that since the Tenancy Bill was only in its draft stage, Government was even keen to change its name for an alternate mechanism to deal with the issue of influx, provided that the pressure groups come forward for talks with the ministerial committee headed by senior Cabinet Minister Prestone Tynsong.
Earlier, the KSU had stressed on the need for a modified ILP while sticking to Eastern Bengal Frontier Regulation Act, 1873.
Tynsong told the media last week that the pressure groups could air their views in his committee and even indicated that since the Bill was in its draft stage, the suggestions can be incorporated to suitably modify the Bill.
Tynsong had also suggested some internal measures to deal with the issue of influx.
A minister said that if needed, the name of the Bill can be changed after discussions and added that Government has not put any pre- conditions for talks with the pressure groups as they are free to meet the ministerial team.
“The door of the Government is always open and there is no pre-conditions put forward by the Government for the NGOs to come forward and take part in the discussions”, he added.
Earlier, the pressure groups had rejected to be part of the ministerial committee which, according them was exclusively formed to discuss only the draft Tenancy Bill.