SHILLONG: “No ILP No Rest” echoed the city streets as over eight thousand members of pressure groups under the umbrella of Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organisation (CoMSO) marched from Shillong polytechnic till Motphran carrying torch lights pressing for atheir demand for ILP in Meghalaya while commemorating the 158th death anniversary of the legendary freedom fighter –U Kiang Nongbah.
The light of the thousand torch lights illuminated the faces of the agitating members as they shouted slogans and waved their flags giving it a texture that could be witnessed afar as they rallied through the narrow lanes and streets.
Soon the crowd reached Motphran parking lot where the leaders took turns to address the gathering.
CoMSO Secretary Roy Kupar Synrem said, “We are commemorating the 158 death anniversary of Woh Kiang Nongbah who was a freedom fighter of hynnietrwep people hailing from Jaintia Hills and at the same time we wanted to carry out this torch rally to show our displeasure with the adamant attitude of the central government on our demand for ILP”.
Recalling that the Union Home Minister Amit Shah had recently in his speech in Manipur had mentioned that the Manipur did not even ask for ILP but the Prime Minister gave it to them as the greatest gift, Roy questioned, “We want to ask the NDA government why is this step motherly attitude towards the people of Meghalaya”.
“We have been asking for ILP since a long time ago and this is not the first time and officially the state assembly unanimously had passed the resolution impressing upon the central government that it is high time now that Meghalaya should get ILP,” he added.
