Shillong: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) set up a check gate on National Highway 6 in Meghalaya‘s Ri Bhoi district on Saturday, demanding the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system in the state.
The move is seen as a way to pressure the central government, which has yet to act on the Meghalaya Assembly’s 2019 resolution urging ILP adoption. The KSU also slammed the state government for not implementing the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA).
“This is not a new tactic for the KSU. We will continue these protests until both the central and state governments take action to implement ILP in Meghalaya,” said KSU president Lambokstarwell Marngar.
The student activists stopped vehicles and checked the documents of those entering the state. However, Ri-Bhoi Deputy Commissioner Abhilash Baranwal downplayed the disruption, calling it a symbolic protest.
“Our district magistrate met with the KSU members at the site, and they peacefully dispersed after the discussion,” Baranwal informed.
The demand for ILP in Meghalaya gained momentum in 2019 after the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was passed.
The ILP system regulates the entry of outsiders into certain northeastern states to protect the indigenous tribal populations.