SHILLONG: A group of 13 pressure groups on Thursday threatened to go back to their demand for introduction of inner line permit in the state if the state government does not accept their suggestions regarding amendments to the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act.
The pressure groups, which called on Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Thursday included Khasi Students Union (KSU), Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) and Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF), among others.
They said they were not consulted during discussions on the amendments adding they would give their suggestions to the government.
The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) has said the residents act needs to be amended and the government has given its assurance to do it.
The 13 pressure groups, however, pointed out that they had never given up on their ILP demand.
KSU president Lambok Marngar said they met the chief minister on learning that the residents act is to be amended.
“We have not received the copy of the amendments. We need it to give our suggestions,” he said adding, however, that the amendment should not come in the way of implementing the entry and exit points.
FKJGP president Wellbirth Rani said the government should allow “us to give our suggestions also.”
“We expect to get a copy and we will then decide on the suggestions. The13 NGOs have not budged from their stand on ILP. We will study the provisions that the government wants to amend and will take necessary decisions,” Marngar said.
The two leaders expressed displeasure at the government for not consulting the pressure groups.
Rani asserted that the government should accept their suggestions. He said, “The government should accept our suggestions and if it doesn’t, we will discuss about ILP again.”
Marngar said if the state government wants to table strong laws then why not ILP.
He said the act has been in place since 2016, but questioned the slow pace of work in setting up the entry and exit points.
“The work on setting up of entry and exit points and district task force is slow while they are hurrying with the amendment,” he remarked.
HYC demands amendment of the act
The HYC, which is part of the Confederation of Meghalaya
Social Organisations (CoMSO), has threatened indefinite agitation to put pressure on the government to amend the residents act.
In a statement issued here, the general secretary of HYC, Roy Kupar Synrem, said the organisation has time and again met the chief minister and the Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong, to amend the Act and incorporate provisions of ILP in it.
“They have assured to bring the amendments in the upcoming session of the Assembly, but if the state government does not keep its promise, the HYC along with the CoMSO will be forced to resort to indefinite agitation,” he said.
