GUWAHATI: Irked at the Centre’s ‘dilly dally’ in implementation of Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Meghalaya, Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) has said that the efforts made by the state government in this regard have left a lot to be desired.
“We are not content with the efforts made by the Conrad Sangma-led government on ILP implementation. Our Cabinet ministers and parties supporting the present government are also not seen playing an important and effective role. The delay by the Centre proves the inefficiency of the state government and will defame the state Legislative Assembly,” Thomas Passah, spokesperson, KHNAM central executive committee, told The Shillong Times on Sunday. It may be mentioned that all the 60 MLAs of the state Assembly had unanimously passed a historic resolution for implementation of ILP in December last year.
“Whether the resolution is genuine or misleading is yet to be seen. Therefore, we dare the 60 MLAs to openly protest the delay by the Centre in the streets, failing which it will be proved that the resolution by these MLAs is a mere eyewash,” Passah said.
He said ILP was and is the top most agenda of KHNAM in any manifesto.
“In a brief party meeting yesterday we decided to send a clear message to the Centre asking it to refrain from double standards on ILP. If you can grant ILP to Manipur, why are you delaying grant of ILP to Meghalaya. We strongly insist that the Centre take a clear stand and implement ILP in the state immediately,” Passah said.
He further said that all political parties and NGOs need to jointly work together.
“A united force for ILP, leaving aside all our differences, is needed. The Movement has decided to always be available in any agitation/platform conducted by various sections for demanding immediate implementation of ILP,” Passah said.
“We will take it to the people of the state and ensure mass participation by the people wherever required for ILP. We also support the stand of COMSO for self-implementation of ILP and we will also take to the street to check and interrogate suspicious persons,” he added.
District council
“With the governor approving administrator’s rule in KHADC after he himself approved the list of executive members to the district council three days before has created a lot of confusion and it seems there is trend of dictatorship everywhere now,” Passah said.
“The administrator rule in the KHADC is a political move of the ruling parties at the state level and is bad for the autonomy of the district council. This way it seems that the district council is no longer the autonomous body under the Sixth Schedule,” he said.
