Congress legislator, Ampareen Lyngdoh today alleged that the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government is trapped in its own haphazardly given commitments and is now procrastinating over key state issues like the Inner Line Permit (ILP),
The Congress legislator said that the Conrad Sangma led government made commitments they cannot keep, which has thrown the public in turmoil.
On Saturday she said that the National People’s Party (NPP) led MDA has reopened the Pandora’s Box by bringing in a resolution from the government saying that they would bring Inner Line Permit (ILP).
“This was done with one intention and that is to say that we have done nothing in the previous years. And that the Congress was in government in Meghalaya for all those years and we were to be blamed for not having brought the ILP,” Lyngdoh said.
The Congress leader pointed out that when her party was in the government in 2014, the then government of the day had consulted, invited stakeholders to several consultations which were time consuming and committees and sub-committees were formed.
She said that activities were initiated to come out with a comprehensive law that would not in any way touch upon all the obstacles (in implementing ILP) that have been stated by the government of India in the past and sometime in 2016-17, they came up with the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act.
The Congress leader pointed out that governments in the pat were told (by the centre) that because of the State’s proximity to the borders ILP could not be allowed in the State. There were also an argument that since Meghalaya also was a transit state, demand for ILP would unnecessarily cause a lot of inconveniences to other citizens of this country who were anyway going to their own States.
“All stakeholders came to an agreement that since ILP was not coming into our state let us at least make sure that we have our own, State act,” Lyngdoh said.
The Congress legislator said that having brought out a resolution a year ago, now the government is telling the people of the State that the centre is still considering the demand to implement ILP in Meghalaya.
“What are the points under consideration by the government of India? What is more disappointing is one error, the CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) came in and you actually allow and permitted the implementation of ILP in Manipur and then you are saying that Meghalaya is again exempted,” Lyngdoh said.
She also said that because the government of India had accorded ILP to the state of Manipur, there should be no reason why the centre should not be able to do it for Meghalaya.
“The government of India cannot have a different line of action, in the country. It should be in the same manner when you accorded it for one state, which is a neighbor of Meghalaya you accord to it also. Or if you are still considering tell us where the lacunae are?” the Congress MLA from East Shillong said.
She also said that the State government is still lingering with the ILP and also refusing to make the MRSSA fully operational.
Lyngdoh pointed out that in the recently, concluded Autumn Session of the Meghalaya Assembly the government had informed in the floor of the House that even the MRSSA in its current form has objected to by the Governor.
“What are those issues which continue to be unanswered? What are these points of contention that continue to disallow the MRSSA, to be operational?” she asked.
Lyngdoh also said that because the government is not saying if the centre will or will not implement ILP in the State and even the MRSSA have not been operational, obviously there is going to be the assumption that people have been fooled.
