SHILLONG, July 19: Chief Adviser to Meghalaya government and senior UDP leader Lahkmen Rymbui has batted for the introduction of railways but he insisted the state first needs a strong mechanism to deal with the problem of influx of illegal immigrants.
“If Centre agrees to the demand of implementation of ILP, then railways will definitely give a boost to the economy of the state,” Rymbui, who is also a former Home Minister, told reporters.
He said the Centre’s effort since 1980 to take railhead till Byrnihat has not materialised due to hurdles. He said there is an apprehension that the illegal migration of people will affect the state’s indigenous microscopic population.
Rymbui admitted the introduction of railways will benefit the farmers as it will ease the transportation of goods and also reduce the cost of transportation.
“But it is important for the government to ensure that the coming of railways does not affect the demography of the state and its indigenous population,” he said.
Stating that ILP is one of the mechanisms to deal with the problem of influx, he said the traditional institutions, like Dorbar Shnongs, have played an effective role by monitoring and ensuring that outsiders are not able to settle in the state permanently.
According to him, the United Khasi-Jaintia Hills District (Trading by Non-Tribals) Regulation, 1954 has ensured that non-tribals cannot do any business without trade licence from the district councils.
He further stated that the Meghalaya (Benami Transaction Prohibition) Act, 1980 has prevented trade or business activities by a non-tribal in the name or on behalf of a tribal. “We can further improve the MRSSA to deal with the problem of influx. ILP will be an addition since it will help the government check the entry of people from outside,” Rymbui added.
The UDP leader said the Uniform Civil Code should not be applicable to the matrilineal societies of Khasi, Jaintia and Garo communities. He said the Centre should not impose it on the Khasis, Jaintias and Garos since they have their own age-old customary laws and practices. He said the basic objective behind UCC is to prepare guidelines for marriages, inheritance, adoption and divorce.
“It is a law which will deal with these four important aspects,” Rymbui said.
According to him, 99.9% of the people in India use their father’s surname.
“We are a matrilineal society which takes the surname of the mother. I don’t see that UCC will be applicable to us,” Rymbui said.
He said the inheritance practices in Meghalaya, which are passed on to the clan and children, are different.
“We also have our own customary laws for divorce and marriages. We will have to study in details if UCC clashes with the provisions of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution,” he added.
