Non Cong parties join ILP bandwagon

SHILLONG, SEPT 24: The non Congress political parties in the state – United Democratic Party (UDP), Hills State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP), Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) and National People Party (NPP) have threatened to launch series of agitations under one umbrella ‘Forum of political parties’ to ensure that the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) takes place in Meghalaya.

The decision was taken at a meeting of all non Congress political parties convened by the Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) on Tuesday.

Representatives from the UDP, HSPDP and the NPP also attended the meeting called by KHNAM

The meeting resolved to support ILP as a mechanism to prevent the inflow of illegal migrants into the state.

“We will constitute a joint forum of all the non-Congress political parties by next two-three days to chalk out our action plan to ensure that the state government complies with the demand put forth by the ngos on the implementation of ILP in the state,” KHNAM president Pyndapbor Saibon told reporters after the meeting.

Saibon informed, “We have proposed to launch series of agitational programmes such as public rallies in all the 11 districts of the state.”

Meghalaya is already burdened with agitations right from bandhs, road blockade, sit-in-demonstrates and others sponsored by the pro ILP activists, which have to a great extent affected normal life, especially those living from hand to mouth.

Saibon, however, assured saying that there are other different sort of agitations which will not affect the state and the common man. The forum, once constituted, will sit and decide it action plan.

Saibon was of the opinion that the present situation in the state warrants a joint forum and said that the political parties also condemned the adamant attitude of the Mukul led state government which has resulted in the current impasse.

The four political parties also demanded that police operations to hunt down the leaders of the several ngos should be stopped and the government must release the volunteers arrested earlier.

Reacting to chief minister Mukul Sangma statement saying that the implementation of the ILP lies with the union government,  Saibon said, “The state government first requires to pass the resolution first for proposed implementation of the ILP in the state assembly and only then it will have to moved it with the centre for its implementation, if it is serious enough.”

The non Congress political parties  also felt that it would not be difficult to implement the ILP since both at the state and centre the Congress is in power.

Rejecting the tenancy act, which the government said will be effective to control illegal migration into the state, Saibon said, “We want a strong law and that law is the ILP to safeguard the interest and identity of the indigenous people and ILP is not an anti-India Act but it is an act to prevent Meghalaya from being the next Tripura where the local indigenous tribe has been outnumbered by outsiders.” – By Our Reporter