The United Democratic Party took the opportunity presented by Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s two-day visit to the state to submit a memorandum on five issues that it says are dear to Meghalaya.
The UDP urged Shah that due consideration should be given for implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Meghalaya, which would be in line with other small states of the region like Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and, recently, Manipur.
Informing Shah about the long-cherished dream of the people of the state for the inclusion of the Khasi and Garo languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, the UDP said, “When the Meghalaya Language bill was made an act in 2005 for recognition of Khasi and Garo languages as Associate Official languages, it was felt at that time that this has paved the way to facilitate of these two languages in the Eighth Schedule. Besides, the state has also fulfilled other criteria such as having a sizeable number of speakers of these two languages, the contiguity of the area where the people reside, the recognition at the graduate level by Dibrugarh University in 1919, and now by Calcutta University, Guwahati University and also as the medium of instruction in the state from the primary level to Ph.D. level in the North-Eastern Hill University, the rich literary works and so on are strong justifications.”
On the issue of the boundary dispute with Assam, the party is hopeful that this time, as assured by the Centre, the two states will be able to find an amicable solution to resolve the boundary issue once and for all.
About the proposed amendment of the Sixth Schedule, the UDP said that the party is of the view that all the points raised and submitted to the Parliamentary Standing Committee in line with the traditional and cultural practices of the indigenous people be incorporated for the smooth and effective functioning of the district councils.
On the Meghalaya-Assam Joint Cadre system, the UDP said that it has been a bone of contention that has greatly affected the functioning of the administrative system in the state and forced bureaucrats to be subservient to their parent state.
The UDP believes that a separate cadre for Meghalaya would ensure that officers would be able to perform better in the state that they are attached with.
