SHILLONG, Jan 6: The Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organisation (CoMSO) has appealed to all the three MPs of the state to take up the issue of Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the Parliament for discussion.
“We appeal to all the three MPs to please raise the issue and see how the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister responds to it,” said CoMSO chairman Robertjune Kharjahrin on Thursday.
Stating that the session of the Parliament is very important for the state, he said, “If any of the three MPs can raise ILP and other issues in the Parliament it would be a big moment for the people of Meghalaya.”
“It will be good if they can ask the Home Ministry about the status of the ILP because they will have to answer on the floor of the House,” he added.
He said that if the MPs take up ILP in the Parliament and MLAs agitate in Delhi, it will send a message on the movement to protect indigenous rights.
Unite for regulation, MLAs told
The CoMSO said the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) and opposition Congress should leave aside their political rivalry for the 2023 state polls and unite on important issues such as the demand for implementation of ILP.
“The Assembly elections are due in two years time and it is obvious that there will be political rivalries between the ruling dispensation and the Opposition. We will choose the best. But on important issues, such as ILP, inclusion of language and border disputes, they must unite,” Kharjahrin insisted.
He said it will go in the cause of ILP movement if the political parties as well as the Independent MLAs unite.
Reiterating that all 60 MLAs, who passed the ILP resolution, should pursue the matter with the Centre and stage a protest in New Delhi, Kharjahrin said, “Mawlai MLA, PT Sawkmie, has endorsed that view and we are of the opinion that it is the duty of all legislators to go to the national capital and agitate. They must make it clear that Meghalaya wants ILP and the Centre should take up the matter at the earliest.”
He suggested that the Budget Session of Parliament will be a perfect time to stage the protest.
“If they can do it, the movement will get further momentum. We are ready to accompany them if they so want. We want this to be a mass movement,” the CoMSO chairman added.
According to reports, the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs has recommended that the Budget session of Parliament be held from January 29.
The first part of the Budget session is from January 29 to February 15 while the second part is scheduled from March 8 to April 8.