SHILLONG: Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma on Tuesday said that the word Meghalaya needs to be inserted in the preamble of the Eastern Bengal Frontier Regulation which defines the areas where it can be notified and implemented.
The statement came from Conrad Sangma a day after Former Nongkrem legislator Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit had asked the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government to issue a notification to implement the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system instead of seeking the Centre’s approval by passing a resolution in the House.
“There is a preamble in the Eastern Bengal Frontier Regulation which defines the areas where it can be notified and implemented. The Preamble has been changed in the past through Presidential notification. The recent one was done on December11, 2019 where Manipur was added. All this issues of notification can only be done based on the Preamble and the details that are there in the Act and Until and unless in the Preamble the word Meghalaya is not inserted, it will not be possible,” the Chief Minister said while adding that the former MLA is probably referring to the earlier Act Preamble where the Garo, Khasi and Jaintia was mentioned in the Preamble but this not there anymore.
Stating that a lot of discussions have taken place following the disturbances in the state, he added that the Government had been very firm and had also informed the Union Home Minister Meghalaya would be going ahead with the resolution of implementing ILP in the state.
“We have also demanded that ILP should be implemented in Meghalaya. The steps which are taking place have received positive response. We have seen to a large extent that all these disturbances and tensions have come down,” he said.
When asked whether the Government is giving priority to the ILP or ordinance which is pending with the Governor, he said that the State Government at the moment was moving for the resolution to urge the Government of India to implement ILP.
Reacting to a query about the suspension of internet and data services in the state, he admitted that the move was causing lot of inconvenience to people but the net had been suspended based on the situation and overall law and order being the priority of the State
“I request the people to please bear with the state Government to ensure the law and order remain safe,” he said while adding that the most important view of the Government has always been to ensure that people’s lives are save. That is the priority for us. In the earlier situation. our police exercise maximum restrains. The police have done a tremendous job as a result of which no serious injury were there and no life was lost,” he added.