Shillong, Sept 9: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) on Thursday listed out few important issues that it feels should be discussed by the legislators during the Meghalaya Assembly’s Autumn Session, which will kick-start from Friday.

“We want all the legislators to discuss at length important issues concerning the state,” KSU chief Lambokstarwell Marngar said in a statement issued on Thursday.

Inner Line Permit

The foremost issue it highlighted was of Inner Line Permit (ILP). The Union asked all the legislators to discuss the delay by the Centre to implement ILP in Meghalaya.

Stating that the issue of ILP is a long standing demand of the people, he said unfortunately, the state government has failed to aggressively pursue the matter with the Centre to ensure Meghalaya also gets ILP as was done for Manipur in 2019.

“The Manipur government had sent its resolution up to three times after which the state was given ILP by the Centre. The Meghalaya government should have been more aggressive in its action to ensure ILP is given to Meghalaya given the fact that it is the oldest and long pending demand in the region (for protection of the indigenous people from the unabated influx and illegal immigration),” Marngar said.

Meghalaya Residents’ Safety & Security Act

The KSU leader also questioned if the Meghalaya Residents’ Safety & Security Act (MRSSA) passed in 2016 will end up only in papers without implementing it on the ground.

“It has been five years ever since the MRSSA was passed but unfortunately there is no sign of the government implementing even the first phase of setting up the entry-exit points across the state,” he said.

The Union also sought to know where are the District Task Forces which are mandated by the MRSSA to regulate the entry of people from outside into the state. At the same time, it questioned as to how the government can amend the MRSSA when it is yet to implement the principal Act. “The MRSSA 2016 was passed without any objection from the Governor or the Centre yet the government failed to implement it. Now, the excuse given is that the amendment of the MRSSA is lying pending with the MHA for examination,” Marngar said.

He further alleged that this could be an attempt to strike down the entire MRSSA or to delay its implementation, which will pave the way for people from outside to illegally come and settle in the state of Meghalaya.

Assam – Meghalaya boundary dispute

On the other hand, the KSU chief also urged the legislators to raise the issue relating to the long pending boundary dispute with Assam.

“We urge the Assembly to properly examine this issue and ensure that Meghalaya does not lose an inch of land to Assam,” he said.

The other issues include delay of the Centre to include Khasi language in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.