By NE NOW NEWS
Guwahati: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) on Thursday put up posters and banners across Shillong highlighting a series of long-pending demands, including the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP), a ban on uranium mining and greater employment opportunities for indigenous youth.
The banners were displayed at key locations, particularly along routes in the Polo area through which Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other dignitaries travelled to the 73rd plenary session of the North Eastern Council (NEC).
According to the student body, the exercise was aimed at drawing the attention of the Centre and the state government to issues that it said have remained unresolved despite repeated representations.
Among the demands highlighted were the implementation of the ILP system in Meghalaya, a complete ban on uranium mining in the state and recruitment of local youth in the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS).
KSU members were also seen requesting police personnel not to remove the banners, maintaining that the display was a peaceful and democratic expression of public concerns that did not disrupt traffic or public order.
Speaking to reporters, KSU general secretary Reuben Anderson Najiar said the initiative was intended to bring the organisation’s demands directly to the attention of Amit Shah and other visiting Union ministers.
“The issues highlighted in the banners continue to remain unresolved despite repeated appeals. We want the Centre and the state government to take note of these concerns,” he said.
The ILP is a travel document required for Indian citizens to enter certain protected states in the Northeast. The system is currently in force in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur.
Amit Shah arrived in Shillong on Wednesday night to attend the NEC plenary session, which brought together Chief Ministers, governors and senior officials from all eight northeastern states to deliberate on regional development and cooperation.