SHILLONG, Nov 19: Seven pressure groups led by the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) on Thursday renewed their agitation against the delay in implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the state.
A sit-in demonstration was staged at Malki Ground here by members of the KSU, Federation of Khasi, Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP), Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF), Ri-Bhoi Youth Federation (RBYF), Garo Students’ Union (GSU), A’chik Youth Welfare Organisation (AYWO) and Association of Democracy and Empowerment (ADE).
Apart from demanding implementation of ILP, the protesters pressed for speedy construction of the entry and exit gates, scrapping of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), inclusion of Khasi language in the 8th Schedule besides implementation of the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Amendment Act (MRSSA).
Protests were also organised in Nongpoh, Nongstoin and Mawkyrwat.
In Shillong, KSU president, Lambokstarwell Marngar asked the government to immediately implement ILP in the state, warning of an intensified agitation by the pressure groups if the Centre did not pay heed to their demand.
Marngar made it clear that the sit-in was just the starting point of their agitation with surprise protests planned in the days to come, saying that the Centre would have to take responsibility if there is any law and order breakdown.
HNYF president, Sadon Blah said the sit-in was a reflection of the tardy progress of implementation of the entry and exit points by the state government.
“Of the 19 designated entry points in the state, the government has only started constructing the one at Umling in Ri Bhoi district and that too after a long time,” Blah said.
Acknowledging that the state government has started work on the entry and exit point at Umling, he said that the chief minister had assured to finish the work in 60 days and that the demonstration was staged to put pressure on the government to finish what it had committed on time.
FKJGP president, Wellbirth Ranee said “the protest was primarily staged against the delay in implementation of ILP in the state coupled with the decision to implement CAA against the wish and will of the people of Meghalaya.”
“We are here to send a message to the government of Meghalaya so that it takes up the issue with the Centre very seriously,” he added.
‘Politicians misleading people on ILP’
President of the KSU South West Khasi Hills District, Forwardman Nongrem today lambasted the politicians for misleading the people of the state on the issue of ILP and called upon both men and women to support the youths fighting for the cause of the Jaitbynriew.
“Since 2014 politicians have been misleading the people by saying that in India we have freedom of movement and residents and that ILP was unconstitutional. But Article 19 (5) clearly said that the right to move and settle freely within the territory of India does not mean that it shall affect the operation of any existing law or prevent the state from making any law for the protection of the interests of any Scheduled Tribe,” Nongrem said.
“This is a wake-up call for all of us to unite and make a decision for the future generations,” Nongrem said as he also urged upon the people of the state not to be afraid of COVID-19,
but to be vigilant as many foreigners tried to enter Meghalaya during the pandemic.
Vice President of FKJGP South West Khasi Hills district, Borbanjop Wahlang said CAA will destroy the ‘Jaitbynriew’ and demanded that the state government should fight for the implementation of the ILP, which is the only mechanism that can protect the people of the state from influx.
Wahlang also slammed the government for playing politics on the border dispute and asked the government to find a permanent solution for the safety and development of the border residents.
In West Khasi Hills, the demonstration was held at Saw lad Ladweitang.
KSU general secretary Donald V Thabah said that the struggle continues because successive governments, since 1972, have failed to come up with a policy to defend the state from outsiders.
Thabah recalled that the ILP demand had been made in 2013 but the government at that time had no interest in implementing the ILP since it will not have benefitted them.
He said that in Meghalaya the demand of ILP began in 1985 but there has been no response from the Centre because the state government has no interest in following up on the resolution passed in the Assembly last year.
Thabah also reminded that Khasi language was recognized by Kolkata University in 1900 and in 1948 the Gauhati University had recognized Khasi upto the PhD level. He demanded that all 60 legislators of the state should pressurise the Centre for the benefit of the people in the state.