SHILLONG, July 27: Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Tuesday quoted the Union Home Minister Amit Shah as saying that the Centre is examining the demand of the State for the implementation of ILP even though some of his cabinet colleagues maintained that he kept mum.
Informing that the Cabinet had brought the issue of ILP for discussion apart from the issue of inclusion of the Khasi and Garo languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, interstate boundary dispute, the Chief Minister said, “He (Amit Shah) had given a patient hearing to us and all the delegation. The Government of India is examining the matter is what he has told the cabinet during the discussion”.
The Chief Minister did not divulge further on it and when enquired whether it was a choice between the Sixth Schedule and ILP, he chose to parry.
It may be recalled that after the state Cabinet Ministers met the Union Home Minister, HSPDP leader and PHE Minister Renikton L. Tongkhar had confirmed Shah’s near-silence during the meeting.
“The Union Home Minister spoke only to suggest the need to replace the word ‘President’ with ‘Governor’ in paragraph 12 AB of the Sixth Schedule,” he said.
Tongkhar said Shah on most occasions smiled at the observations and suggestions of the ministers. “Forget about ILP, he did not respond to anything,” he added.
The Union Home Minister had been non-committal on the ILP when some leaders of the pressure groups met him, although he listed to them on the demand for implementing the entry permit system.
Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) president Lambokstarwell Marngar had said that the Union Home Minister only listened to what they had to say and there was no assurance or commitment on the ILP.
The disappointment of the pressure groups were expressed by means of setting used vehicle tyres ablaze a few locations and also flashing banners to the convey of the Union Home Minister when it went to Sohra.
Meanwhile, three regional parties of the state who are a part of the NPP led coalition – United Democratic Party (UDP), People’s Democratic Front (PDF) and Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) – will meet soon to follow up on their demands placed before Union Home Minister, Amit Shah during his recent visit to the state.
Their demand includes implementation of ILP, solution to the state’s interstate boundary dispute with Assam, etc.
MAWRIE CLARIFIES
State BJP president, Ernest Mawrie on Tuesday dismissed party vice president Barnard Marak’s statement on ILP and Sixth Schedule and clarified that the Union Home Minister had only said that he would look into the demand for ILP.
“The Union Home Minister had clearly said that he is examining and we have to wait. He did not say anything like choose between ILP and Sixth schedule,” Mawrie said, terming Barnard’s statement as nothing more than his personal opinion and interpretation.
Reiterating that as far as Marak’s statement is concerned it is his personal statement and not that of the party, Mawrie said, “ILP is the demand of the state and our two MLAs have also fully supported the resolution and when we discussed the issue with the Union Home Minister he said that since it is a transit state the centre is examining the thing”.
It may be mentioned that Marak had earlier stated that the Union Home Minister had told the BJP delegation that it was upto the people of Meghalaya to choose between ILP and Sixth Schedule.
Marak had said that there was also an observation that since Meghalaya is a transit state, it would not be conducive to implement ILP.
He had also informed that the Union Home Minister informed the state BJP that he is examining the inclusion of Khasi-Garo languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
