Nongkrem MDC Lambor Malngiang today said that since Meghalaya is a transit State therefore there needs to be a thorough discussion on the issue and how to take forward the State’s demand for Inner Line Permit (ILP).
Speaking to media persons here today, he pointed out that states in the North East region having ILP system like Manipur and Nagaland share international borders with Myanmar and there are no connecting states beyond but Meghalaya shares an inter-state border with Assam.
“This (transit State issue) is the only issue which has to be sorted out but we support implementation of ILP,” Malngiang said.
He also reacted to Voice of the People Party president Ardent M. Basaiawmoit’s allegation that pressure groups were deceived by the MDA-I government in 2019, when the Assembly passed a resolution to urge the Central government to implement ILP in the State.
“How did we deceive? We went on many occasions as a delegation to New Delhi to meet the Union Home Minister to follow up on the resolution. We even spoke to the Prime Minister. To those who said that we deceived the public, I just want to say that one of the MLAs who is now with the VPP had also signed the resolution,” Malngiang said.
Malngiang was apparently referring to Shillong North MLA Adelbert Nongrum
On the ongoing drive by pressure groups to prevent migrant workers without valid documents from working in the State as a pressure on the government to implement ILP and Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act, Malngiang said, “The pressure groups want ILP, even we want it.”
When asked if he will contest the upcoming MDC election again, Malngiang said that this will depend on his supporters even as he added that he has served the people for more than 20 years.
“If they think I am capable I am ready to carry the weight of my people on my shoulders,” he said.
However, Malngiang was non-committal if he will contest the poll from the UDP ticket.
It may be mentioned that Malngiang had unsuccessfully contested the 2023 Assembly polls as a UDP candidate from Nongkrem.
According to him, he lost the election due to money power.
“I was not defeated by the people but I lost due to one factor – the power of money,” Malngiang said.
