Shillong, June 26: With senior BJP leader and Health Minister AL Hek Meghalaya confirming the visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to the state in July, the expectation is running high among pro ILP groups that the much-awaited discussion on the implementation of the Inner Line Permit would finally materialise.
Implemented under the British-era Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, the ILP is an official travel document that allows an Indian citizen to enter a protected area for a limited period.
The Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organisations (CoMSO) and other pressure groups in Meghalaya have been demanding implementation of ILP ever since the Congress-led government rejected the demand in 2013 and instead passed the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA) in 2016.
Robertjune Kharjahrin said, “We believe that Shah will visit Shillong and give his time to meet CoMSO and other pressure groups, and even leaders of traditional institutions. If he gives us time, we are confident that we would be able to impress upon him the need to implement ILP in the state.”
On January 23 this year, Shah had visited Shillong to chair the 69th plenary session of the North Eastern Council (NEC).
The pressure groups had then met the Union home minister to demand the implementation of ILP, among other issues.
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