SHILLONG: The Federation of Khasi Jaintia & Garo People (FKJGP) has set a May deadline for the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government to complete setting up of entry and exit points to check influx. The organisation also threatened to agitate if the state government fails to meet the deadline.
The organisation’s move comes in the wake of Chief Minister Conrad Sangma saying on Tuesday that the work on the entry and exit point in Ri-Bhoi district will begin in May.
The central executive committee (CEC) of the FKJGP after a meeting on Wednesday told reporters that there will be no more dialogue with the government.
FKJGP president Wellbirth Rani said, “If the state government fails to set up the entry and exit points, we will discuss with other organisations that are part of the pro-ILP groups to agitate aggressively.”
Criticising the government for its snail’s pace work, he said they have tolerated the delay and the state government is working at its own free will. “Justice delayed is justice denied and we feel it is time for us to tolerate no further,” he added.
On the other hand, the general secretary of the organisation, Dundee C Khongsit, expressed concern that the state government has not been able to implement the Meghalaya Residents Safety & Security Act.
He pointed to the recent Lok Sabha elections and said that enrollment of non-tribals from outside the state in the state’s voters’ list was rampant.
Khongsit said that the organisation had apprised the officers of the Election department of the matter as outsiders are in possession of documents verifying that they are residents of the state for the past two-three years.
“We see this as a threat to the indigenous community in the state and there will come a time where we will be reduced to a minority in our own state,” he said.
In this connection, the organisation will meet the minister in charge of Labour, James Sangma, and ask to implement the Interstate Migrants Workmen Act in letter and spirit.
Asserting that Labour inspectors under the state’s Labour Department should be present in all Community and Rural Development Blocks (C& RD), Rani said Labour Inspectors should conduct inspections in their respective locations.
