SHILLONG, March 3: The Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organisations (CoMSO) is confident about convincing Union Home Minister Amit Shah and officials of his ministry why the state needs the Inner Line Permit (ILP).
The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), on the other hand, is sceptical about Shah’s visit to Shillong in March to discuss the implementation of the permit under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873.
“We are mentally prepared to justify our demand and to prove that Meghalaya needs ILP, during our meeting with the Home Minister. I am sure that he (Shah) would like to hear our point of view. We are ready to plead even before Prime Minister Narendra Modi to protect the rights and interests of the indigenous community,” CoMSO chairman Robertjune Kharjahrin said here on Wednesday.
Stating that they will provide MHA officials with the facts and figures to justify their stand, he said the implementation of ILP was a genuine demand.
“We will need ample time to explain on our stand. They should be ready to listen to us and we are ready to listen to their points of view. This is the only way we will come into an agreement,” the CoMSO chairman said.
He asserted that the demand for ILP was to ensure that the indigenous communities of the State are not outnumbered by people from outside.
“We have no threat from people who pass through the state to go to Silchar. We will need to regulate people who come to the state in search of employment, business purposes and even those who plan to stay beyond 48 hours,” Kharjahrin said.
He also said the modalities and procedures of ILP in Meghalaya will be different from that in other Northeastern states.
CoMSO pointed out that ILP and Sixth Schedule were two different things. “We cannot mix these two laws. We want to know why the Centre is reluctant to give ILP to Meghalaya when they have it to Manipur,” Kharjahrin said.
The CoMSO, he added, envisaged an exodus of 13 million migrant Muslims from Assam if the BJP retains power. “Meghalaya is a safe place for them. It is in this context that ILP is needed soon for the protection of the indigenous peoples,” he said.
Kharjahrin assured people from outside that they will not face any kind of harassment if they have valid documents and apply for ILP after it is implemented.
KSU pessimistic
KSU president Lambokstar Marngar said the union was doubtful about Shah’s visit to Shillong.
“Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said the Union Home Minister would be coming in March to discuss the ILP. But we have seen how Shah changes his plan. When he visited Shillong, he had told us to go to Delhi. When the Chief Minister met him in Delhi, he then said he will be coming to Shillong. How do we believe him since elections in Assam and West Bengal would keep him busy?” he said.
The KSU president said it was unfortunate that the ILP in Meghalaya has not materialised since it was first demanded in 1979. “The Centre should have given us ILP after the state government had passed a resolution in its favour,” he added.
Marngar also asked the Centre why it has adopted two different yardsticks for Manipur and Meghalaya vis-à-vis the ILP.