SHILLONG: Amidst the fight to contain the spread of COVID-19, the demand to implement Inner Line Permit (ILP) has come back to haunt the state as an organisation, Ka Sur u Paidbah ka Bri u Hynniewtrep has asked for implementation of the ILP before allowing migrant workers in the state.
The chairman of the organisation, HS Shylla said that ILP is a must before embarking on the step to bring migrants from outside.
“We demand ILP. Although we are facing the trouble with COVID-19 pandemic but it is still a blessing as most of the migrant workers have left. From now onwards, there has to be stringent measures and to properly check documents. If the state government does not come up with monitoring measures, it should not bring any of the migrant workers,” he said.
Observing that 50 per cent of the migrant workers have left the state, he said that the state government should ensure to implement the ILP before considering bringing the migrant workers.
“If the government is adamant, then the people should understand that the government is not working for the interest of the Khasis, Jaintias and Garos,” he said.
Shylla criticised the state government for not making necessary arrangements for the returnees coming from Karnataka, Pune, Mumbai, Rajasthan and Delhi who have to opt for home quarantine instead of institutional quarantine which is a better option.
In this connection, he questioned the government’s efforts to bring the migrants at a time when the government is struggling to house the returnees.
“How will it bring the migrants? There is no place to keep them and they cannot be allowed to work the moment they enter the state,” he said.
He argued that the government cares less about the interest of the local labourers while it is pursuing the interest of the migrant workers instead.
“Many of our local labourers are still without work and the government has gone ahead to bring migrants from outside the state”, he said.
Shylla recalled that KSU member, Lurshai Hynniewta was assaulted by the migrant workers and asserted that the state government has so far not been serious in dealing with the incident.
Pointing to the plight of farmers, he said that they have been taking loans and the government should waive their loans.
He said, “The government is not concern about the poor and the needy. We are making a comparison and find that the government wants to bring migrant workers, very quick to open wine stores, teer counters and allow coal transportation. The government has no time to think over the welfare of the poor locals”.
He said that the commercial vehicles are also at a loss as only two passengers are allowed.
He also criticised the government for being penurious and to allow only few buses to ferry government employees.
“This is a stingy government and with fewer buses, the government employees have no choice but to sit without maintaining social distancing. But it is still thinking of bringing migrant workers from outside”, Shylla said.
Meghalaya a safe haven
Shylla argued that Meghalaya is a safe haven for outsiders as the people can neither go to Assam nor to any other part of India in view of the rising of the COVID-19 cases.
Speaking to reporters, he alleged that there are some persons who move to and fro Shillong and Guwahati and also alleged that there was a Rajasthan trader who was allowed to enter to the state from Byrnihat.
He was irked that there are restrictions for inter-district movement while there are hardly any restrictions for inter-state movement.
