Protests In Meghalaya Over Non-Implementation Of ILP

The Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organisations (CoMSO) on Friday staged a protest in Meghalaya demanding immediate implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP).

Rallies were taken out in the state capital and the districts with the protestors carrying black flags and banners being put up in various parts. Shops were shut down and movement of vehicles was also disrupted for some time.

The banners, which criticised the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), were put up in Shillong and various parts of the state requesting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to implement the ILP in the state with immediate effect. It also stated that only ILP can protect the interest of the indigenous people of Meghalaya.

CoMSO, headed by the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC), is a union of more than 12 organisations from Khasi Jaintia and Garo Hills of Meghalaya. The council has been aggressively demanding for the implementation of ILP since the Congress-led government rejected ILP in 2013.

"We are unhappy with the way the Central government has been treating us. While other northeastern states have been granted ILP, we are left waiting. These are signs of a step-motherly treatment towards us," CoMSO secretary Roy Kupar Synrem said.

He further warned that if the ILP is not implemented in the next few months, there would be more protests across the state.

The HYC and CoMSO have been demanding the implementation of ILP as it will contain the influx problem in Meghalaya and prevent the settlement of other Indian nationals in these states to protect the indigenous population.