ILP movement in Meghalaya : Bodies to launch 5th phase of agitation today
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network
Shillong, September 28 2013 :
The Mukul Sangma government has failed to convince the civil society organisations with its 'Regulation of Landlord & Tenancy Verification Bill 2013' as a legislative measure to address and enforce regulations to contain influx and illegal immigration, instead of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system.
The civil society organisations of Meghalaya have just completed its fourth phase of agitation yesterday and they are likely to announce to its fifth phase of agitation tomorrow, according to sources from the civil bodies.
Khasi Students Union (KSU), FKJGP, HNYF, Garo Students Union (GSU), JSSU, CSWO, KWWADA, ADE and RBYF have been spearheading the demand for the Inner Line Permit in Meghalaya.
These ongoing series of agitations have begun after the break-down of the August 29 meeting between the Mukul Sangma government and the NGOs in Shillong.
The Mukul Sangma government wanted other mechanisms instead of implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) to control the influx issue in Meghalaya but the civil society organisations rejected the state government's proposal.
Yesterday, in a move to address the issue of influx, a Meghalaya government cabinet gave its nod to the 'Regulation of Landlord & Tenancy Verification Bill 2013' as a legislative measure to address and enforce regulations to contain influx and illegal immigration.
"The bill will provide an effective mechanism to put into the loop the local authorities in scheduled and non-scheduled areas in which the enforcing agencies along with local authorities will have a mechanism mandated through the new law," Chief Minister Mukul Sangma told reporters after the cabinet meeting.
He said, this is common concern of all the citizen of the state that we need to understand that illegal immigration and influx do not confine only in the localities of cities and towns but beyond these.
Defining the 'Landlord' as covering all those people who are providing accommodation in their premises, the Chief Minister said the idea is that people who come for some work can stay here and can go back besides that the landlords are regulated as to why their tenants need renting accommodation.
The cabinet has also approved the proposed drafting of the bill and then notified it for public consultation by October 3, he said.
Alleging the Opposition coalition, the United Democratic party-led Meghalaya People Forum (MPF), to be behind the pro-Inner Line Permit activists' anti-government stirs in the state since September 4, Mukul said, "I have reasons to believe that they adding fuel to the fire and I have reasons to believe that they must be in close contact with these agitating friends/pressure groups� We are politicians we know who operates how" .
Stating that the kind of pressures that his government is facing on the ILP is "coercive and dictatorial", the Chief Minister questioned if imposing or infusing a sense of fear psychosis by violent and militant activities is a democratic form.
"Or is it not a coercive measure, a dictatorial attitude so that people will fear them," he said, adding that he is sure that none of the citizens like the kind of situation, the bandh associated with violence.
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