MDC of Rambrai-Jyrngam, Bajop Pyngrope has called upon the UDA-led Executive Committee in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) to convene an All-party MDCs meeting of all the three district councils in the State to decide on the demand for the Inner Line Permit (ILP) for Meghalaya.
“If our MDCs who are elected by the indigenous people and considered as the guardian of the ‘Jaitbynriew’ then we should stop speaking that we all support ILP only in the newspapers but go to Delhi and give a representation there and demand ILP for Meghalaya,” Pyngrope told Highland Post.
Pointing out that a resolution to demand ILP for the State was also taken by all the 30 MDCs in the last winter session of the KHADC, he said, “We are not even aware whether the EC has even sent the resolution to the Home Ministry or if it is still lying there.”
He said that there is no point to pass any resolution in the house if nothing is being done about it. The district councils are the institutions to protect the identity, culture, language, and land of the indigenous people and not an institution designed to waste resources and assets of the district council, he added.
“The district councils are not designed to spend crores of rupees in assets but most importantly to take up issues concerning the welfare and protection of the indigenous people of the State,” he maintained.
According to Pyngrope, it is the district councils to lead the way and pressure the Centre to grant ILP if the State government is not serious.
“If only the student organisations and NGOs are out there on the streets for the issue, then what is the point for people to elect us,” he questioned.
