The Confederation of Hynñiewtrep Social Organisations (CoHSO) on Monday said it would welcome any law of the Meghalaya government which contains provisions of the Inner Line Permit (ILP), and decided to put pressure on the government till the demand is met.
“We will intensify our agitation to mount pressure on the state government to immediately implement ILP. We will welcome any law of the state which has provisions of the ILP by deriving from the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873,” CoHSO chairman Reobertjune Kharjahrin said.
CoHSO, a conglomerate of 14 organisations, has been demanding for implementation of ILP system while vehemently opposing the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.
“Whether the Bill is passed or not, we will continue to fight till the ILP is implemented,” Kharjahrin said.
He also said the present MDA government would be seen as adopting a double standard policy if on one hand, it opposed the Bill, but on the other hand did not want to implement the ILP.
Kharjahrin, who is also the president of the Hynñiewtrep Youth Council (HYC), said CoHSO would write to Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma for his intervention into the urgent need for implementing ILP in the state.
CoHSO also sought the support of all 36 MLAs from Khasi and Jaiñtia region and all political parties including the opposition Congress.
The Confederation would also convene a meeting with all traditional heads and organizations on Saturday and discuss the need to show unity against the Citizenship Amendment Bill and to demand for the implementation of the ILP.
He said a state law which has provisions of ILP would include prohibition of entry of outsiders without permission, punishment against those who enter without permission, and prevent permanent settlement.
Kharjahrin also observed that the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act, 2016 passed by the state government in 2016 remained silent in as far as the provisions is concerned, adding that the entry-exit points proposed to be set up as per the above Act cannot be taken as an alternative law to ILP.
He said the state government, which proposed to review this Act, should consider the need to incorporate provisions into the Act that contain the spirit of ILP.