Tear gas cells have been fired on thousands of protestors, who gathered in front of the Raj Bhavan in Shillong demanding implementation of the Innere Line Permit (ILP) in the state like Manipur.
The police and security personnel resorted to fire tear gas cells as the protestors did not disperse from the entrance gate of the Raj Bhavan.
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More than 20,000 people, who gathered in front of the Raj Bhavan, also registered protest against the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB), 2019, which has become an Act after getting President Ram Nath Kovind’s assent.
The protestors, who took out a large procession towards the Raj Bhavan, also demanded Meghalaya governor Tathagata Roy to give his assent to the ordinance that has been brought with an amendment to the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security (MRSS) Act, 2016.
The ordinance, which has been approved by the Meghalaya Cabinet, seeks mandatory registration of people who come to Meghalaya.
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Also read: Meghalaya: KSU opposes CAB, submits memorandum to Amit Shah
However, the ordinance is yet to get the assent of the governor, Tathagata Roy.
Meanwhile, curfew has been relaxed in parts of Shillong up to 10 pm on Friday.
Curfew was clamped following incidents of violence reported from various parts of Shillong on Thursday.
However, mobile internet and SMS services have been suspended to prevent potential threats to public safety via SMS, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to be used for transmission of information through pictures, videos, and text which might cause civil unrest and exacerbate the law and order situation.
Also read: Internet, SMS services in Meghalaya suspended for 48 hours
It may be mentioned that union home minister Amit Shah said the new CAB would not apply to the tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram or Tripura as included in the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution and the area covered under ‘The Inner Line’ notified under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873.
The union home minister also announced that Manipur would be brought under the Inner Line Permit (ILP) regime.
Now, different organizations of Meghalaya have raised their voices demanding implementation of the ILP in the same way it has been brought in Manipur.
Earlier, in a memorandum submitted to union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday, the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) strongly opposed to the proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB).
“The KSU would like to express its stiff opposition and utter resentment to the proposed Bill, which seeks to grant citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsees, Christians and Buddhists migrants,” the KSU said.
“This bill is being proposed by the Central government without taking into account all the aspects including the demographic structure of entire Northeast including Meghalaya,” it further said.
The CAB, 2019 seeks to grant Indian citizenship to persons belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have migrated to India after facing persecution on grounds of religion in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh if they fulfil conditions for grant of citizenship.