Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has said that the state government is awaiting the response of the Government of India on the resolution for implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Meghalaya.
“Now this entire matter is with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and hence, we have to wait for any kind of direction or approval from their end,” Sangma said while replying to a zero-hour notice brought by Nongpoh legislator Mayralborn Syiem in the Assembly today.
Sangma also informed that the state government had also submitted a memorandum, which includes ILP as one of the demands, to the Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his visit to the state on February 23, last year.
“The state of Meghalaya is awaiting the response of the Government of India on the matter,” Sangma added.
The chief minister said that the seriousness of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government has been shown by the passing of the resolution on December 19, 2019, following the increasing demand for implementation of the ILP.
He said the resolution was sent to the MHA for consideration on December 23, 2019, and the government again approached the MHA on the matter through a letter dated November 17, 2020.
Sangma said the demand for ILP even grew stronger after the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) with several NGOs convening meetings in and around the state to express their dissent against the non-implementation of the ILP.
He said a delegation of local MLAs had also met the union home minister in New Delhi on February 20, 2020, and the delegation was informed that the central government is examining the resolution passed by the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly and it was assured that the rights of the tribal people of the state will not be diluted.
The Chief Minister said during the visit of the Union Home Minister last year, seven members from each of the seven NGOs met him and conveyed the importance of implementing ILP in the state adding several other local NGOs also demanded a similar appointment with the union home minister but they were assured that they will be called to Delhi for further deliberation on the matter.
On August 17, NESO and other groups held a sit-in-demonstration in Shillong protesting the implementation of the CAA and voicing the demand for the implementation of ILP
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister said that the current law and order situation in the state is peaceful and harmonious and any report of protests and agitations are being effectively handled by the Meghalaya police.
