From CK Nayak
New Delhi, Nov 19: Amid a resurgence of demand for introduction of Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Meghalaya, Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma met Union Home Minister, Amit Shah here but there was no firm assurance for the same despite the Assembly passing a unanimous resolution to this effect last year.
The Union Home Minister agreed to consider the demand but gave no assurance that ILP will be introduced in the hill state like the other states in the North East.
Shah met the delegation and assured protection of all tribal rights while looking into the demand of imposing ILP in the state.
In his Facebook post, the chief minister wrote, “Met with Hon’ble Union Home Minister, Sh. Amit Shah Ji with Hon’ble Deputy CM and Hon’ble PHE Minister and had a fruitful discussion about matters that require Centre’s immediate attention”.
Sources in the MHA, however, said that ILP cannot be granted for a state like Meghalaya which is used as a transit state to many neighbouring states. According to sources it said that the tourism centric economy of the state will be affected if restrictive steps like ILP are introduced.
The Meghalaya Assembly had on December 19, 2019 adopted the resolution for implementing ILP, which will impose restrictions on the entry of ‘outsiders’ to the hill state. The resolution was moved by the chief minister and members across party lines, including the BJP, had supported it.
This time amid growing dissension within MDA, BJP was not part of the delegation. The delegation consisted of Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong and PHE Minister, Renikton Tongkhar besides the chief minister.
Meanwhile, pressure groups and civil societies including the Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organizations (CoMSO), have threatened to intensify agitations on the demand. But considering the geographical location and economic impact, the Centre is reluctant to sanction the same and with lingering time, the demand may lose its relevance. KSU too reiterated its demand for ILP in the state.
Several groups in Meghalaya have announced a series of agitational programmes starting November 27 with a black flag protest by all its members. This will be followed by a sit-in protest in all district headquarters of the state on December 4.
Though demand for ILP used to be raked up from time to time in Meghalaya it grew louder after the introduction of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) with a series of agitations affecting normalcy. But with the COVID-19 the demand remained subdued now coming up again in the wake of recent communal tension in the state.