United Democratic Party (UDP) president Metbah Lyngdoh MLA has reiterated the need for the state government to persist in its demand for the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Meghalaya.
Speaking to reporters today, he reminded that the 60-member Assembly had unanimously passed a resolution in favour of ILP in December 2019, which was then forwarded to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). “We have seen that the Chief Minister and cabinet ministers have been pursuing the same from that point of time till today,” he added.
On the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), the UDP chief expressed confidence in its intent and implementation. “I don’t see anything wrong with the MRSSA. The government can always put it in place to ensure that the right processes and systems are followed to address the issue of influx. It is necessary to have it in whatever way possible,” he added.
Recently, the sensational murder of tourist Raja Raghvanshi, allegedly by his wife and three other visitors to Meghalaya, has reignited calls for the ILP to be implemented in Meghalaya. In its continued absence, however, the state government issued instructions for tighter checks and record keeping by hotels and the like.
When asked whether MRSSA could serve as a substitute for ILP, Lyngdoh said the state government must continue to push for ILP.
“The state government has to pursue the matter again; there’s no harm in that. There may be areas of concern that perhaps conflict with central laws, and those aspects need to be sorted out. If the government has not moved forward with it, I’m sure it must be due to certain constraints or issues that the Centre is still examining,” he said.
