Union Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to chair the plenary meeting of the North Eastern Council (NEC) to be held in Shillong on January 23, even as the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government has decided to seek his intervention for the Centre to approve the resolution for implementation of the inner line permit (ILP) in Meghalaya.
Informing this on Wednesday, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said, “I had a discussion day before yesterday with the home minister on some issues…I will be talking to him again on the phone as he is supposed to come here on January 23, for the NEC plenary meeting.”
Shah is also the chairman of the NEC.
Conrad Sangma also informed that he would take up the ILP issue before the Union Home minister.
“So in case he (Amit Shah) comes here, we will meet here in Shillong itself but in case there is a change in his programme then I will be making a tour to Delhi most likely before the 23rd of this month,” the CM said.
Asked on the status of the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security (Amendment) Bill, 2020, Sangma said there have been some comments and observations made by the governor and the same were also sent to the state government.
He also informed that the governor had also called and discussed the issue with him last year.
“He (governor) has assured that he will work closely with the state government and with the central government to find a way forward to get this Bill passed. After that, he also had a meeting with the Home minister in Delhi and the home minister consequently had mentioned that he would like to discuss the matter with me and then take a final call on this. So we are waiting for the meeting which will take place between the home minister and me either in Shillong or Delhi,” Sangma stated.
It may be mentioned here that the anti-influx groups have threatened massive protest against the delay of the Centre to implement the ILP system and the governor to assent the MRSSAB, 2020.
On Monday, the Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organizations (CoMSO) had announced its decision to stage a protest on January 21, which coincides with the celebration of the 49th year of statehood.
On being asked, deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong said that the state government will not allow any law and order problem to happen due to such agitations.
“Of course I can’t say anything whether you go for agitation or whatever but the government machinery is already in place and we will make sure that law and order is maintained in the state,” he asserted.
NNN