HSPDP to keep pushing for ILP till it’s implemented: Pangniang
President of the Hill State People Democratic Party (HSPDP), KP Pangniang, said on Friday that since the formation of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) coalition government in the state, of which the party is a partner, the party has been pushing for the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) but with no effect.
He said that as a party, they were happy that the state government brought the issue to the floor of the Assembly but unfortunately, it has yielded no positive results to date.
Soon after the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was enacted in the Parliament in 2019, the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly passed a resolution urging the Centre to accord ILP to Meghalaya. However, the resolution is still lying with the Home Ministry.
"What is the point of passing a resolution in the state assembly if you’re not going to implement it? The government must pursue this matter with the Centre and fulfill the demand of the state," he argued.
The demand for the implementation of the ILP in Meghalaya gained momentum after the visit of Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, to Shillong last month. Since then, the pressure has been mounting on the state government from local groups and regional political parties asking the government to discuss the issue with the Centre.
Pangniang further added that the party will once again push the issue next time the coalition parties' presidents meet.
During his visit to the state recently, Shah met with some of the regional leaders and student bodies to discuss the matter. But the meeting was inconclusive as no assurance was given by the Union Home Minister on the ILP.
Following the "disappointing" meeting with Shah, the pressure groups of Meghalaya reignited their demand for ILP. In the past few days, many offices and retaining walls across the state are scribbled with pro-ILP slogans.
TNT-The Northeast Today is now on WhatsApp: CLICK HERE to receive more updates on your phone.
ALSO READ: Writings on the Walls: Pro-ILP slogans "scribbled" across Meghalaya
