Shillong, Dec 30: Paying rich tribute to the Jaintia legendary freedom fighter ‘U Kiang Nangbah’ on his 161st death anniversary, Meghalaya’s anti-influx groups on Saturday asked the state government and all political parties to drop the idea of bringing railways in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills region in absence of effective mechanisms like the Inner Line Permit (ILP), which is a long pending demand for the protection of the tribal indigenous people from being outnumbered by influx of outsiders in their own homeland.

Addressing a function held in front of the life-size statue of U Kiang Nangbah at Barik point in Shillong, Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) chief Lambokstarwell Marngar said that Meghalaya is yet to have strong and effective mechanisms to check the unabated influx. In view of this, the state government and all political parties should stop forcing the idea of introducing railways in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills region.

“I am shocked to see there are those from the ruling political parties, who constantly talk about the need to introduce railways in Khasi-Jaintia Hills region. It seems that such people do not have better things to do except talking about the railways,” he said.

Marngar said that in fact, people of the state expect the government of the day and those in power to take up issues relating to unemployment problems faced by the youth, problems of the students, lack of health care facilities, various entrepreneurship programmes to generate employment and others.

“We want the state government and all political parties to focus on the need to revamp the education sector, health care, to uplift the livelihood of people in rural areas, to address the issues faced by farmers and unemployment youths in the state,” he added.

Marngar informed that in 2017, a total of 33 members of the KSU were arrested during the anti-railway protest.

“Therefore, we want to send a clear message to the government that the KSU along with the other groups will continue to protest against any attempt to forcefully bring railways in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills region till such time strong and effective anti-infux mechanisms are put in the place,” he asserted.

Echoing similar views at a floral tribute ceremony in Jowai, Jaintia Students’ Union (JSU) general secretary Trebor Suchen said that the Union has maintained a strong stand against the move to introduce the railway line in East Jaintia Hills District.

“We have never agreed for railways to come to our district. We strongly oppose it,” he said.

According to him, the people will only agree to welcome the railways if ILP is immediately implemented in Meghalaya.

“It is give and take. If ILP is implemented then railways may be accepted,” Suchen said while adding that “ILP is the only tool to check unabated influx. Therefore, we first demand ILP and then we will see about the railways.”

To a question, Suchen said that the union would leave it to the wisdom of the state government to pursue with the Centre for ILP implementation.

“The state should not just sleep, they should push the Centre to give ILP so that other kinds of development can come in the state,” he added further.

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