TURA: Despite no abatement of the pandemic, the demand for Inner Line Permit (ILP) has found its way back in the state with demonstrations being held in the Garo Hills region.
Various pressure groups from Garo Hills on Thursday staged a protest at the entry point from Assam into Garo Hills, on the main national highway, calling for implementation of the ILP and a mechanism to check influx in the region.
Over two dozen members belonging to the GSU central executive committee along with the FKJGP, Association for Democracy and Empowerment (ADE), A’chik Youth Welfare Organisation (AYWO) and Federation for A’chik Freedom (FAF) arrived at the Berubari entry point to Garo Hills, situated at Bajengdoba in North Garo Hills, carrying banners and raising slogans to demand the ILP implementation in the region.
The protesters are seeking the establishment of a facilitation centre under the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act-2016 and want a setup to put an end to the influx in Garo Hills.
“We want entry and exit points in Garo Hills. We demand ILP for protection of A’chik Asong and we will not rest in our struggle,” shouted the protesters.
“They wanted an anti-influx check gate. We reasoned with them that checking has been going on for many months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Checking is being done continuously by anti-infiltration branch of police and health teams. Only with proper documents and verification, people are allowed in,” said North Garo Hills Superintendent of Police, Abraham T Sangma.
The demand for ILP in the state gained momentum last year after the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) was passed by the Parliament in December.
Soon after the pandemic took the spotlight, the clamour for implementation of ILP in the state began fading.
A more dire concern for the people and the state seemed to be the coronavirus with all energy and resources being pooled in to keep in check the rising number of positive cases of COVID-19.
