By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, June 9: The gruesome murder of Indore tourist Raja Raghuvanshi by his wife and three contract killers in Sohra has prompted KHNAM to urge Union Home Minister Amit Shah to implement the ILP in Meghalaya. The CoMSO also renewed its demand for the same.
KHNAM working president Thomas Passah stated that the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly passed a resolution for ILP implementation in 2019 which is pending approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Passah stressed that the demand for ILP is not to prevent people from entering the state but to facilitate their entry.
He also mentioned recent Indore couple case and warned that people with malafide intentions would not dare to register themselves and enter the state.
The CoMSO renewed its demand for the immediate implementation of the ILP system. CoMSO chairman Roy Kupar Synrem called on Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma to take strong legal action against those who defamed the state, spread communal disharmony, and obstructed lawful investigation.
Synrem also requested the Government of India to issue an official clarification affirming the integrity of Meghalaya’s police, the success of its investigation, and the role of local people and NDRF in solving the case.
Reacting to the developments, the Ri Bhoi Youth Federation (RBYF) renewed its demand for the immediate implementation of the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), 2016.
The RBYF condemned the state government’s failure to monitor unchecked movement of people from outside Meghalaya and said the crime brought shame and fear upon the state.
The MRSSA, an alternative framework to monitor non-resident visitors, was enacted in 2016 as an alternative to the Inner Line Permit (ILP).
The RBYF criticised successive governments for not operationalising the Act, stating that it is not enough to pass laws on paper.
They pointed to the abandoned Facilitation Centre at Umling as a glaring example of government apathy, which could have prevented the tragedy.
The youth body argued that the state’s lax enforcement has opened the door for individuals with criminal intent, as Sonam and her alleged accomplices entered Meghalaya undetected and used the peaceful land to commit murder.
The RBYF has urged Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to show political will and implement the MRSSA immediately, warning that the continued delay not only puts the safety of residents at risk but could lead to more such incidents in the future.
A’chik Youth Welfare Organization (AYWO) has echoed the need for stricter regulations like the ILP in Meghalaya, particularly in tourist-heavy areas like Sohra and South Garo Hills. Implementing ILP could play a pivotal role in regulating tourist inflows, ensuring safety, and protecting the state’s cultural and environmental heritage.
Social activist Cherian Momin pointed to the long-standing demand for implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Meghalaya, calling for immediate and permanent implementation.