By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, July 7: The proposed railway project in Meghalaya has become jinxed with pressure groups in the state unrelenting in their opposition to the same.
Just a day after Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma had announced the government’s decision to conduct a study for exploring the possibility of bringing the railway line to Khliehriat, the district headquarter of East Jaintia Hills, three pressure groups —Khasi Students’ Union, Hynniewtrep Youth Council and Jaintia Students’ Movement — toughened their stand and said they would oppose any move to introduce railways in East Jaintia Hills.
The Jaintia Students’ Union has already spoken against the proposal, saying they would allow railways only if the inner line permit (ILP) was granted to prevent influx.
The KSU East Jaintia Hills district unit shot off a memorandum to the deputy commissioner clearly outlining their stand that they will not welcome the railway project unless effective anti-influx mechanisms are put in place by the Government of India.
“The union has been advocating for stronger and stricter laws for safeguarding our identity as a race. The union is of the view that unless a strong and effective mechanism is enacted towards safeguarding the rights of our people the project for a railway line to our state is out of the question,” president of the unit, Streamly N Suchen said in the memorandum.
“The union has taken a tough stand on this contentious issue since the year 1988 and would like to reiterate again that it does not welcome this project unless stringent laws are being put in place against the massive influx of people coming from outside the state and neighbouring countries like Bangladesh,” he added.
Suchen said the NFR put on hold the Tetelia-Byrnihat railway project in 2016 after strong opposition from the union and other stakeholders.
“The union wishes to express its resentment once again against this project and will be clear on its stand against this unabated tool of massive influx towards the state as a whole,” he further stated.
Taking the same stand, the HYC East Jaintia Hills said the railway project would be entertained only when the government is able to put in place a strong legislation like the ILP to address the issue of influx.
“We will not accept it since we know that the problem of influx would further aggravate since a large number of people from outside would come to settle in our land if we don’t have ILP,” HYC East Jaintia president, Preios Pale said in a statement.
He suggested that the government should construct a four-lane road from Ratacherra till Umiam to ease the movement of goods into the state instead of focusing on railways.
Pale urged the MLAs, MDCs and the traditional heads like the Daloi and Waheh Shnong along with the pressure groups and the people of Jaintia Hills to stand united in opposing any move to bring railways until ILP is granted.
Even the JSM said they have a clear message for the government — improve roads instead of focusing on the railway project.
“The roads in the state, particularly National Highway 6, are not properly maintained and the said road is in a pathetic condition. Now the government had made a plan for railway connectivity which cannot be accepted by the people,” JSM said in a statement.
It asked the government to upgrade NH-6 into a four-lane highway with regular maintenance instead of conducting survey for the railway project.