SHILLONG, July 1: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) on Wednesday issued a strong warning to the state government, threatening to devise its own mechanisms to protect the interests and identity of indigenous communities if the Inner Line Permit (ILP) and the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA) are not implemented immediately.
The warning came during a meeting between the KSU’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) and Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, where the student body submitted and discussed its 20-point charter of demands. These demands were adopted during the induction and confirmation ceremony of its new CEC on June 6.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, KSU president Raymond Kharjana reiterated that the implementation of the ILP remains the union’s foremost demand. He said the Chief Minister informed the delegation that the proposal for ILP implementation in Meghalaya is still pending with the central government, but assured them that the state government would continue pressing the matter with New Delhi.
The KSU also pressed for the full implementation of the MRSSA, particularly the establishment and operation of entry and exit checkpoints to monitor the influx of outsiders. Kharjana expressed strong opposition to any move to convert the facilitation centres established under the Act into food courts.
“We made our position clear. These facilitation centres were meant to serve as monitoring points under the MRSSA and should not be converted into food courts,” he said.
The union pointed out that despite the legislation being enacted eight years ago, several key provisions remain unimplemented. The meeting also touched upon the Meghalaya Identification, Registration (Safety & Security) of Migrant Workers Act, 2020, with the KSU reiterating its earlier recommendations for amendments to strengthen verification processes.
Kharjana noted that despite repeated assurances, little concrete progress has been made on these laws aimed at regulating migration and safeguarding indigenous interests.
“Whether it is ILP, MRSSA or the Migrant Workers Act, we continue to receive the same explanation that implementation is pending. We have yet to see any effective legal mechanism that can regulate the influx of people from outside the state,” he said.
Issuing a firm warning, Kharjana stated that if the government fails to act, the KSU would be left with no option but to explore alternative measures.
He added that while the Chief Minister assured the union that some demands would be addressed in the coming weeks, several issues would require further discussions. When asked about any deadline, Kharjana replied that the time for extensions had passed.
“These demands have remained unresolved for years. It is no longer a question of setting deadlines. If the government cannot implement these laws, the union will have to consider alternative measures. At no point can it be said that the KSU is acting outside the law,” he added.
