SHILLONG, Feb 12: The Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) has asked the Centre to say “no” in case it is not going to implement ILP in the state.
“If he (Union Home Minister Amit Shah) really means to say ‘no’, he should say it clearly, so we can decide what we should do,” HSPDP leader and Minister Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar said on Friday.
The HSPDP will raise the Centre’s delay on the issue at the coordination committee meeting of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA).
Stating that there is no doubt the state government wants ILP to be implemented, he said, “We (MDA constituents) will discuss it in the coordination committee meeting, which will be held very soon, to find out ways and means to mount pressure on the Centre.”
Tongkhar said the HSPDP manifesto also mentioned the party favours the ILP’s implementation.
“The state government did what it could by passing the resolution in the Assembly on ILP’s implementation and pursuing the matter aggressively with the Centre but it is the attitude of the Central government that I am concerned about,” he said.
Tongkhar said the state government should come up with alternative ways to put more pressure on the Centre if it keeps buying time.
Referring to Shah’s January visit to the state, the HSPDP leader said, “We met him to click photos and hand over a memorandum. He is coming again to meet the NGOs. We hope we can meet him and get time to discuss ILP.”
Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma and Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong had called on Shah in New Delhi earlier this week and discussed several issues.
Later, the CM issued a statement stating that Shah will discuss issues, including “infiltration” and Meghalaya Residents’ Safety and Security Act, with the civil societies and NGOs when he visits the state in March. There was, however, no word on the ILP in the statement.
The pressure groups in the state are livid with the Union Home Minister for his flip-flop over his proposed meeting with them to discuss ILP and are viewing his upcoming visit as a delay tactic.