Shillong, Mar 14: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Monday informed the Assembly that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is examining the demand for implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Meghalaya, and assured that the state government would continue to pursue the matter with the Centre.

“We will continue to pursue and hope to reach a conclusion on this line,” Sangma said while replying to a query raised by suspended Congress MLA from Mawlai PT Sawkmie in the Assembly.

He informed that multiple letters have been sent to the MHA after the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly had unanimously passed a resolution urging the Centre to implement ILP in the state on December 19, 2019.

He said the state government had also submitted a memorandum to the Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his visit to Shillong on January 23, 2021.

When Sawkmie wanted to know if the state government has any plan-II to ensure Meghalaya gets ILP at the earliest, the Chief Minister however said the only plan of the state government is to pursue and to convince the Government of India that ILP is implemented in the state.

He also asserted the resolution passed by the House itself established the seriousness of the state government on the issue.

Expressing concern over the delay of the Centre to examine the matter, Sawkmie suggested the Chief Minister to lead a delegation of all 60 legislators to Delhi and meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to pursue the demand.

Sawkmie further cited that the state of Manipur had passed a resolution on ILP three times. “(After) the third resolution, the Government of India has given ILP to Manipur,” he added.

To this, the Chief Minister assured to examine the suggestion for leading a delegation of all 60 legislators to the national capital.