SHILLONG, Dec 10: Leader of the Opposition, Mukul Sangma, on Thursday sought Governor Satya Pal Malik’s intervention to ensure the recalling of the Meghalaya Residents’ Safety and Security (Amendment) Act (MRSSA), 2020 and the implementation of the MRSSA, 2016 by the state government in its original form.
Sangma, along with other leaders of Opposition Congress, had met the Governor and submitted a memorandum towards this effect.
Emerging from the meeting, he told journalists that for the MRSSA, 2016, the then government had initiated several measures to ensure its implementation. He said it is a multi-pronged comprehensive approach that entails delegation of powers to several authorities, including the police and local durbars and the involvement of communities and government agencies for taking care of concerns, such as safety and security of the citizens of the state.
Sangma said after the formation of the new government, the Congress had proposed some amendments which were subsequently passed in the Assembly but the Governor was yet to give his nod.
“As it is pending and likely to be delayed further, we demand the recalling of the amendment bill and the implementation of the MRSSA, 2016 in its original form to ensure that people’s concerns to the extent possible are addressed through the operationalisation of this beautifully-conceptualised multi-pronged Act,” he said.
The Congress stalwart informed that he would write to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to share with him what the state government had shared with the Governor and request the government to recall the amendment bill in the best interest of the state and people. He said the Opposition would also aggressively pursue with the Centre to bring Meghalaya under the purview of Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulations (BEFR), 1873 and implement the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the state.
He further said that the Opposition had apprised the Governor of the need to implement ILP under BEFR. Pointing out that the demand for its implementation has become more intense due to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, he said all political parties had adopted a unanimous resolution in the Assembly to urge the Central government to bring Meghalaya under the purview of BEFR through the implementation of the ILP.
“There was an assurance from the Chief Minister himself that the government will aggressively pursue the issue with the Centre,” he said.
The leader of the Opposition informed that the issue of non-payment of salaries to the employees of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) was also taken up with the Governor.
“I am told that the employees of the GHADC have not been paid their salaries since May, 2018. A delegation, representing the victims and the employees, is camping in Shillong. It has submitted a representation to the Governor with a copy addressed to me. I have drawn his attention to this very serious issue,” Sangma added.