SHILLONG, Dec 9: Opposition Congress today slammed the NPP-led MDA Government for dragging its feet on implementation of Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), which was enacted by the previous government, as a bulwark for undesirable settlement of people from outside.
Speaking to media persons after the meeting of the CLP here, Mukul Sangma said the party has decided to seek an audience with the Governor to find out the status of the amended Act.
While reminding that the mandate of the MRSSA is not merely setting up entry-exit points but to ensure that people who manage to sneak into the state are not able to reside here without possessing valid credentials, Sangma pointed out that the Opposition repeatedly pulled up the government in the recently concluded Assembly session for “not being serious” on the matter of securing ILP and enforcing MRSSA.
He recalled that the ILP was not implemented during the tenure of previous governments but the Congress-led MUA Government had taken it upon itself of coming up with a state law like MRSSA for the protection of interest of the local people.
“While waiting for a nod from Centre for implementing ILP, the MRSSA could have been implemented but why is the state government not sincere for implementing the MRSSA,” he wondered.
Congress realised that ILP alone would not have the teeth to address the issue of influx, and therefore his government had enacted its own law in the form of MRSSA after holding extensive discussions with the pressure groups, he said.
Slamming the delay in the implementation of ILP in the state, he recalled that the new situation has unfolded in the state due to the passing of the contentious CAA.
“The assurance from the chief minister in the Assembly last year was that he will ensure the implementation of ILP in the state and one year has gone by and we had to shake up the state government during the recent Assembly session for their lack of seriousness,” the Opposition leader added.
He observed that instead of showing genuine intent to fulfil its commitment, the government of the day was “playing to the gallery”.
Pointing out that the state has long porous border with Assam, he added that with MRSSA, people who sneak into the state would not be able to reside here without providing their credentials to the authorities.
Defending the previous MUA Government for taking measures to address the issue of illegal immigration and influx by posting labour inspectors in all blocks of the state, the Opposition leader added that the then government had put “practical measures” to the deal with the issue.
When asked if Opposition MLAs would visit New Delhi to pressurise the central government for granting ILP to the state, Sangma said that the Congress was on same page as is borne out of the fact that members of the Assembly had risen as one in their unanimous mandate to the ILP through a resolution adopted a year back.