SHILLONG, Feb 22: Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong has rubbished reports that Union Home Minister, Amit Shah has asked Meghalaya to choose either the implementation of Inner Line Permit (ILP) or the Sixth Schedule.
A section of the media had reported that during the meeting between a Meghalaya delegation and Shah, the latter had asked the state government to decide if they wanted ILP or the Sixth Schedule.
Tynsong, who was present in the meeting along with Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, recalled that they had only discussed the ILP and the Meghalaya Residents’ Safety and Security Act.
“We requested him to give time to the civil society groups and he told us that he will come to Shillong for two days in March and explain everything to all the stakeholders including the government,” Tynsong told reporters on Monday.
He also made it clear that the state government has not yet received any confirmation about the visit of the Union Home Minister to Shillong.
Denying that Meghalaya was asked to choose, Tynsong said: “Let us wait. He has promised that he will come here and meet everyone to discuss the matter.”
The Meghalaya government has held several rounds of discussion with Shah on the matter of implementing ILP but the Centre is yet to give any commitment.
A state delegation had earlier met Shah in New Delhi. He said he would discuss the matter in Shillong.
The Home Minister visited Shillong for a day in January but failed to discuss the matter with pressure groups and civil society organisations. He asked representatives of the government to visit New Delhi.
The Chief Minister recently met Shah in New Delhi. The latter once again assured to discuss the matter when he visits the state reportedly in March.
Don’t mix ILP and
Sixth Schedule: KSU
Asserting that ILP deals with influx and illegal immigration whereas the Sixth Schedule deals with land, culture and traditional institutions, KSU president, Lambok Marngar has asked the Centre not to mix up the two subjects.
“We will keep on pressurizing the Indian Government for implementation of ILP,” he said while asking the Centre to respect the voice of the people of Meghalaya.
The statement came from the KSU leader over concerns that the Centre was not interested in granting ILP since the state already has the Sixth Schedule, Land Transfer Act and other laws.
“We are not asking for a separate constitution or flag but we are only asking for a regulation to check influx,” he said while adding that demands for ILP has also been raised by other Northeastern states including Assam.