SHILLONG: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) on Tuesday marked the 48th Meghalaya Day by distributing pamphlets and putting up posters in entire Hynniewtrep areas opposing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and demanding implementation of Inner Line Permit (ILP) and Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA).
The police tore down the posters put up on walls across Laitumkhrah, Laban and Police Bazar, the KSU said while condemning the act.
In a statement, the union stated that 48 years have passed, but the state has not been able to tackle the unabated influx and remove those people who have settled in the state after 1971.
The union argued that ILP was in place in the United Khasi Jaintia Hills District under Assam, but it was dropped after Meghalaya attained statehood.
The KSU was of the view that the state should have framed strict legislation to curb influx. The union went on to state that the state government should fulfill the aspirations of the people such as tackling influx, better education and health, employment opportunities, road connectivity etc.
On the police removing the posters, the KSU said, “This only goes to show that the government does not oppose CAA and does not want the implementation of ILP/MRSSA”, the union said.
The KSU stated that it is the second time that the state government has disrupted its democratic protest, the first being when the police removed the black flags erected as expression of solidarity with the JNU protests.
The union said that it will not bow down to such tactics to cause fear but will intensify its protests in the coming days.
FKJGP deplores govt inaction
Meanwhile, FKJGP president Wellbirth Rani also spoke about influx, which has been a long pending issue of the state, and criticised the policies of the earlier leaders of the state which he said were for vested interests.
He went on to say that the state has journeyed through 48 years and the people of the state are reeling under power crisis, scarcity of water and bereft of better healthcare facilities. He added that the government should have a support price for farmers and come up with a policy for their betterment.
Rani said that the organisation will ensure that the government takes notice of different issues.
