Shillong, July 14: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) on Tuesday questioned the Meghalaya government’s commitment to implementing the Inner Line Permit (ILP), alleging that the Centre has not responded to two letters sent by the state government on the issue.
Citing information obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act, KSU general secretary Reuben Najiar said the Meghalaya government had written to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on ILP only twice—in 2019 and 2020. “So far, there has been no communication from the Government of India to the state government regarding these two letters,” Najiar told reporters.
He contrasted the Centre’s silence on the state government’s letters with the response received by the KSU after its delegation met Union Home Minister Amit Shah last month. “We submitted a memorandum on ILP to the Home Minister and received a reply within a week. I do not understand why the MHA is not responding to the Government of Meghalaya but is responding to us. Maybe the Government of India respects the KSU but does not respect the state government,” he said.
Najiar claimed that the Centre appeared to take the students’ body more seriously because of its firm and consistent stand on the ILP issue. “We are strong in our determination. We do not fluctuate in our statements regarding this matter,” he added.
The KSU leader also accused the state government of remaining inactive on matters concerning illegal influx and the security of the indigenous population. “When it comes to other issues, the Meghalaya government is proactive. However, when it comes to the security of our citizens and the influx issue, the government remains silent,” he alleged.
Najiar also referred to the amendment to the Meghalaya Identification, Registration (Safety and Security) of Migrant Workers Act, which was passed two years ago following KSU-led drives against undocumented migrant labourers. “Even after two years of passing the amendment, it has still not received the Governor’s assent,” he said.
Drawing a comparison with Manipur, Najiar said strong political will had enabled the neighbouring state to secure the ILP regime within a relatively short period. “Why did Manipur get ILP in a short span of time? It was because its political will and determination were strong, and the Government of India had to grant it,” he said.
He alleged that Meghalaya’s engagement with the Centre on ILP appeared to be limited to meetings and photo opportunities with Union ministers rather than substantive dialogue. “For us, perhaps whenever we talk about ILP, it is only to attend a photo session with Union ministers. There is no real dialogue or serious discussion. According to the RTI reply, Delhi has not responded to the state government’s two letters. It is very shameful,” Najiar said.
