The United Democratic Party (UDP) has reiterated its demand for implementation of the inner line permit (ILP) system in Meghalaya.
UDP is an ally of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government.
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UDP working president Bindo Matthew Lanong on Thursday said Meghalaya fell under the purview of the ILP in the original Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR), 1873.
“Originally, the whole of Meghalaya was under the ILP. However, in 1897, it was repealed from the Garo Hills as the plain belts of the Garo Hills were then under the Lakhimpur district of Assam. The zamindari system was prevalent there and the ILP was repealed to allow British officials to come here and collect taxes,” Assam Tribune quoted Lanong as saying.
He said since Meghalaya was in the original Act, the UDP wanted implementation of the ILP system in the State.
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The UDP has hailed the Supreme Court for taking up the petitions challenging the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019.
The party hoped that the apex court would go with the aspirations of the people of the country.
UDP general secretary Jemino Mawthoh said that the passing of the CAA by the Parliament was a wake-up call for the people of the Northeast.
“For decades we have been fighting illegal immigration and the time has come for us to come up with something concrete,” Mawthoh said.
He reiterated that the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act would be one of the mechanisms to safeguard the rights of the indigenous people of the State against illegal influx.