Shillong: Amidst growing concerns over a potential influx of illegal settlers evicted from Assam, a Meghalaya MP has appealed to the Union Home Ministry to implement the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system in the state.
This demand has been a long-standing aspiration of the people of Meghalaya.
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During a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Ricky Syngkon, MP from the Voice of the People Party (VPP), expressed deep concern regarding demographic pressures on Meghalaya.
He highlighted increasing incidents of unauthorised settlements and encroachments, particularly in sensitive border areas, including those along the international boundary with Bangladesh and the interstate boundary with Assam.
“The unchecked influx of migrants poses a grave threat to the cultural identity, land rights, and socio-economic security of Meghalaya’s tribal population,” Syngkon stated, urging urgent intervention from the Centre.
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He pointed out that neighbouring states like Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur, and Nagaland already have the ILP regime in place, which regulates the entry of non-locals and safeguards indigenous communities’ rights.
The appeal gains urgency in light of Assam’s ongoing eviction drives targeting illegal settlers and undocumented immigrants.
The MP fears these drives could lead to a spillover of migration into Meghalaya’s vulnerable regions. “The implementation of ILP would fulfil a long-standing aspiration of the people and reinforce their trust in constitutional safeguards provided under the Sixth Schedule,” Syngkon added.
The demand for ILP is not new. The Meghalaya Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a resolution in December 2019, urging the Centre to extend the ILP system to the state. Despite multiple follow-ups, the matter remains pending with the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Syngkon also raised several other key issues during the meeting. He emphasized the importance of Khasi language as a vital marker of Meghalaya’s cultural and historical identity and urged the Centre to act on the 2018 Assembly resolution seeking its inclusion in the Eighth Schedule.
Additionally, the MP requested directives to ensure preferential employment opportunities for local tribal youth, particularly in Group ‘C’ and support staff positions, within central establishments in the state, in line with the Fifth and Sixth Schedules. He also called for the revival of currently non-operational air routes such as Shillong-Dimapur, Shillong-Agartala, and Shillong-Silchar to improve regional mobility and integrate Meghalaya more closely with the Northeast and the rest of the country.
Finally, Syngkon urged the Ministry of Tourism to upgrade the Shillong Centre of the Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management into a full-fledged institute, envisioning it as a hub for tourism studies, skill development, and entrepreneurship in the region.
As of now, the Centre has not taken a final decision on any of these demands.