After a year with seemingly no apparent progress, the Hynñiewtrep A’chik National Movement (HANM) will stage a dharna at New Delhi’s famous Jantar Mantar for the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) and inclusion of Khasi and Garo in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution.
It was in November last year that the pressure group had held a sit-in in the national capital on these issues, which have been long-pending demands in Meghalaya. HANM also wants the central government’s help in resolving the stalled border issue with Assam.
HANM organising secretary Gabriel Sohlang said that the pressure group wants to take the issues that are pending to the notice of the Centre.
The Meghalaya Assembly had adopted a resolution in December 2019 to urge the Centre to implement ILP in Meghalaya after the passing of the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act.
He also said that the Assembly had in 2018 adopted a resolution for inclusion of the Khasi and Garo languages in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution. However, the central government has not acquiesced in either case.
On the boundary dispute with Assam, HANM wants an early resolution so that the indigenous people of Meghalaya can live peacefully.
He also informed that during its last demonstration in Delhi last year the pressure group met Rajya Sabha MP Rakesh Sinha and submitted a memorandum listing HANM’s demands.
According to Sohlang, Sinha promised that he would take these issues to the Parliamentary Standing Committee so that these can be resolved.
