Shillong, March 11: The members of Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) on Tuesday took out a protest march to the Meghalaya Assembly at against the proposed move of the government to pass the amendment to the Meghalaya State Investment Promotion & Facilitation Act, 2024 (MSIPF) and introduction of railway lines in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills region.
Armed with blue flags, banners and placards, KSU activists also shouted anti-MSIPF and anti-railway slogans.
However, they were prevented from marching towards the Assembly by state police.
KSU has demanded the government to revoke the amendment of the MSIPF, alleging that it seeks to empower the Meghalaya Investment Promotion Authority (MIPA), earlier known as Invest Meghalaya Agency, to purchase and provide land to investors, which it alleged is against the spirit of the Meghalaya Land Transfer Act.
The KSU has also strongly opposed the move of the government to introduce railway line in absence of effective anti-influx mechanisms.
“First implement the Inner Line Permit then talk about railway line,” one of the placards read.
Speaking to reporters, KSU general secretary Donald V Thabah said the protest is to convey a clear message that the KSU will intensify its protest if the government fails to pay heed to its demands. “It is also to convey a message to the government that we vehemently oppose the MSIPF and also the introduction of railways in any parts of the Khasi and Jaintia Hills region,” he added.
On MSIPF, Thabah labelled the Act as “draconian and anti-tribal”. He argued that the Act, which seeks to create land banks, is very dangerous as these lands will be leased out to private investors. “We stand to lose (the land), we also lose employment opportunities as this Act will only benefit a few people,” he claimed.
On the issue of railway, the KSU leader agreed that railway is important but argued against the reasoning that it will lead to goods becoming cheaper. He mentioned that Manipur’s capital Imphal, which is 300 kms from Guwahati, has essential commodities cheaper than Shillong, with the latter being only 100 kms away from Guwahati. “That is the question since Manipur also doesn’t have railways,” he argued.
He also stated that railways would only increase influx of outsiders into Meghalaya, and referred to the situation in Dimapur in Nagaland. “In Nagaland’s Dimapur, Nagas have become minorities infront of outsiders as ILP (Inner Line Permit) in Nagaland is not in the entire state. If you go to Dimapur, you will see the reality of what happened in Dimapur and Nagaland,” he highlighted.
He maintained that the union would not allow the railways to come to the Khasi-Jaintia hills region if it carries with it the risk of reducing the tribals in the state into minority.
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