Former Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma on Thursday submitted a memorandum to governor Satya Pal Malik regarding the implementation of the inner line permit (ILP) system in the state.
The opposition leader also urged the governor to recall the amendment of the Meghalaya Residents’ Safety and Security Act (MRSSA) 2016 and to make the act operationalize in the state in its original form.
Sangma pointed out that the MRSSA, 2016 was enacted and notified for its implementation on September 27, 2016.
The Act, having been passed and assented by the then Governor, the Government have initiated all the necessary measures as mandated by the Act for its operationalization, he said.
However, the present government proposed and passed an amendment to the Act, and the assent of the governor for the same is pending.
Sangma said the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly adopted a unanimous resolution for the inclusion of Meghalaya under the provision of Bengal Eastern Frontiers Regulation 1873 and implement ILP in the state.
He said that the resolution was in response to the widespread demand coming from across the state for the introduction of ILP in the state after the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was enacted by the Centre.
After the enactment of CAA, the demand became louder and intense due to genuine apprehension of its likely ramification on the demography of the state and on the whole social, political and economic spectrum of the state.
“The implementation of ILP, therefore, under the present context and the situation anticipated to uphold thereof due to CAA need to be expeditiously considered by the Government of India and seek your honour to convey the same to the Government of India through your esteem office for its consideration,” Sangam mention in the memorandum.
He said that the anticipated implementation of ILP in the state make the amendment to MRSSA 2016 passed by the Assembly redundant besides the fact that the mandate of this Act need to be operationalized in full swing to achieve the very purpose of this it.
The former CM said the act needs to be operationalized keeping in mind the fact that Meghalaya is one of the frontier states and peace and harmony in this state is crucial and indispensable from geo political perspective.
“To give to this effect, therefore, we seek your indulgence to see that the amendment bill is recalled and the Act operationalized by the state government in its original form,” Sangma said.