SHILLONG, July 25: Voice of the People Party leader and Shillong MP, Ricky AJ Syngkon, has sought the immediate attention of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to the implementation of the Inner-Line Permit (ILP) and other long-pending demands concerning Meghalaya.
Raising concern over the rising influx and encroachments, Syngkon sought the Home Minister’s intervention to grant ILP status to Meghalaya. He described the system as vital for protecting the land rights and cultural identity of the indigenous population, and called for a structured consultation on the way forward.
During his meeting with Shah, the VPP MP expressed concern over the demographic pressures facing the state, citing increasing incidents of unauthorised settlements and encroachments, particularly in sensitive border and fringe areas, including along the international boundary with Bangladesh and those along the interstate boundary with Assam.
The appeal gains urgency in light of the ongoing eviction drives in Assam targeting illegal and undocumented immigrants, which, the MP fears, could lead to spillover migration into Meghalaya’s vulnerable regions.
“The implementation of ILP would fulfil a long-standing aspiration of the people and reinforce their trust in constitutional safeguards provided under the Sixth Schedule,” the Lok Sabha MP said. Syngkon also sought the inclusion of the Khasi language in the Eighth Schedule and the granting of Institute of National Importance (INI) status to NEIGRIHMS.
In a memorandum submitted to Shah during their meeting in New Delhi on Friday, Syngkon flagged six critical issues, terming them essential to safeguarding the socio-economic and cultural interests of the state and the wider Northeast region.
Calling for preferential employment of local youth in paramilitary establishments functioning within Meghalaya, he urged the Centre to issue directives to ensure that recruitment in Group ‘C’ and support staff positions is aligned with the constitutional protections under the Fifth and Sixth Schedules. He said this would uphold inclusion, justice, and strengthen civil-military relations.
The MP reiterated the demand for the constitutional recognition of the Khasi language, noting its wide usage, literary heritage, and the resolution passed by the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly in 2018. He said the language meets all criteria for inclusion in the Eighth Schedule.
The memorandum also called for the Centre’s support in introducing the Health Institutions of National Importance Bill, 2023, which proposes to accord INI status to NEIGRIHMS. The MP argued that the institute serves the entire North East and deserves elevated status to enhance its role and capacity.
On the infrastructure front, Syngkon requested the restoration of discontinued flights from Shillong to Dimapur, Agartala, and Silchar, and an increase in frequency for the Shillong-Aizawl route. He said better air connectivity would reduce travel hardships and improve access to metropolitan hubs.
Finally, the MP sought the upgradation of the IITTM Shillong Centre into a full-fledged institute to strengthen tourism education and skill development, stating that such a move would promote entrepreneurship and generate employment in the state.
The MP expressed hope that the Centre would act decisively on issues that have remained unresolved for years.
