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Joining the growing clamour for introduction ofthe Inner Line Permit (IPL) system in Meghalaya, ten influential NGOs of theState, led by the KSU and FKJGP, marched from the KSU office in Jaiaw and helda sit-in-demonstration at the Additional Secretariat Parking Lot on Monday. Asserting that this was an ‘issue of life anddeath’ for the indigenous population of the State, the NGOs urged the Statelegislators to impress upon the Government to implement the ILP in the fightagainst influx and entry of illegal migrants into the State. “We think that the legislators, cutting acrossparty lines, should raise their voice in favour of the ILP during the three-dayAssembly session starting from September 5 in the overall interest of theindigenous community. We all believe that there is no other mechanism to fightinflux and restrict entry of illegal immigrants into the State other than theILP,” the NGOs argued. KSU president Daniel Khyriem said that majorityof the illegal Bangladeshi immigrants who enter the State do not come throughthe Indo-Bangladesh border. “We should realize that most of them have comefrom Assam bypassing the check gates,” Khyriem said. FKJGP working president Joe Marwein said theyhave met three prominent legislators – Leader of Opposition Conrad K Sangma,UDP legislators Paul Lyngdoh and Ardent M Basaiawmoit – urging their support intheir movement for introduction of ILP. “We have urged them to press the government toadopt a resolution to implement the Inner Line Permit,” Marwein said while,questioning that if the Manipur government can pass a resolution in theAssembly to implement the ILP they why the Meghalaya Government cannot do thesame. The FKJGP working president also stated that therecent Kokrajhar incident in Assam should be an eye-opener for the people ofthe State. Earlier, Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma hadrejected the demand of the NGOs to introduce the ILP, claiming that theGovernment is intending to put in a mechanism which would be more effectivethan the ILP in checking influx and entry of illegal migrants. |
