By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, June 6: The National People’s Party, which is ruling the state for a second term in alliance with the BJP, has hardly taken a step towards fulfilment of the long-pending demand for implementation of the Inner Line Permit system in Meghalaya. The ruling party is now reposing its faith on newly-elected Lok Sabha member Ricky AJ Syngkon to convince the Centre to implement ILP in the state.
Cabinet Minister and NPP senior leader, Rakkam A Sangma on Thursday said three-time MP, Vincent H Pala failed to convince the Centre to implement ILP in the state and now the responsibility is on the VPP MP to get it done.
“We have been crying for ILP. Now it is in the hands of Bah Syngkon to raise the state’s voice and demand in the Parliament,” Sangma said.
Stating that there apart from the ILP, the inclusion of the Khasi and Garo languages in the Eighth Schedule is another long-pending demand, Sangma said, “Bah Syngkon has to work hard to convince the Government of India.”
Stating that people have voted for the VPP with a lot of emotion, he said they were eager to see to what distance “emotions can be carried along and how long will it last”.
In a critical tone, Sangma said that people read the progress report of every party and every leader. “We can fool people once but not twice. People will definitely compare the performance of MPs or MLAs,” he added.
He also asked the VPP to start behaving as a responsible party and start delivering, since they are sending one of their own to the Lok Sabha.
He also made it clear that the public expectations run high and since the two Lok Sabha members from Meghalaya would be sitting in the Opposition, it would be a difficult proposition for them to bring development to the state.
He noted that there are challenges to being in the Opposition.
He also cautioned that if the two MPs fail to deliver, the same people who have elected them this time would reject them.
He also asked the two MPs to espouse the cause of the Christians and tribals.
He signed off saying that people of the state expect the two new MPs to make the voice of Meghalaya heard inside Parliament.