SHILLONG, Nov 7: The police on Monday grilled the leaders of Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) in connection with its “surprise agitation” last year against the delay in the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the state.
The Investigating Officer (IO) summoned HYC vice president Donboklang Kharlyngdoh, assistant general secretary Issac Basaiawmoit and Shillong city unit president John Lyngdoh to the Sadar police station.
Later, Lyngdoh told reporters they were summoned in connection with the surprise agitation, which the HYC and various pressure groups had staged in front of the Main Secretariat under the banner of CoMSO.
According to him, the IO told them there were cases registered against them in 2021 for attempting to storm the Secretariat.
“We were asked many questions. I asked where we will raise our voice on different issues if not in the Secretariat,” Kharlyngdoh said.
He also asked who prompted them to stage the surprise agitation. He said nothing moved after the state Assembly had adopted the resolution unanimously to urge the Centre for the implementation of the ILP.
“The state government has not followed it (resolution) up with the Centre. There was a proposal that all 60 MLAs will stage an agitation in Delhi on the demand but it never happened,” Kharlyngdoh said.
The HYC is not happy with the mere resolution. It said the ILP granted to Manipur has helped the state to regulate the entry of outsiders.
“We also want that the ILP is implemented in Meghalaya,” the HYC vice president said.
He said he is prepared to be behind the bar since he took the responsibility to impress upon the state government to ensure special protection for the indigenous communities.
“I want to send a strong message to our members and other pressure groups that it is not a sin to demand ILP. It is the 60 legislators who had committed a sin by failing to pursue the ILP demand,” Kharlyngdoh said.
He said they would intensify their agitation if the ILP is not granted to Meghalaya early. He urged people to extend their support to the movement.
