The Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organizations (CoMSO) on Wednesday has threatened to resort to agitation if the Central Government further delays appointment for discussion on the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the State.
Home Minister Amit Shah, who recently visited Shillong, had assured Chief Minister Conrad Sangma that he would the State Cabinet and pro-ILP groups in New Delhi to deliberate on the contentious issue.
“We are waiting for the appointment as we believe dialogue is also very important and we do hope that the union home minister honors what he had assured to the chief minister that he would meet us and we hope through this meeting, the matter will be settled,” COMSO Chairman, Robertjune Kharjahrin told reporters .
He said that the COMSO was informed that Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong are likely to leave for Delhi sometime this week to meet the Union Home Minister.
“If the union home minister delays in giving the appointment, it would mean that he is not serious and we will be compelled to announce our agitation,” COMSO Chairman said.
The Meghalaya Assembly on December 19 last year had adopted a unanimous resolution urging the Central Government to include Meghalaya under the purview of Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation 1873 and implement ILP.
ILP is a British-era regulation designed to preserve ethnicity and culture of the Northeastern tribals. It required all Indian citizens, not usually residents of the area, to secure a special permit for entering the border states and regions of the North-East.
The regulation designed to preserve ethnicity and culture of the north eastern tribals, required all Indian citizens not usually residents of the area to secure a special permit for entering the border states and regions of the northeast.
The permit system is still in force in Nagaland as well as Mizoram as well Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur.