Meghalaya: Mukul wants CM to recall MRSSA amendment bill and to implement act in original form

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By Ibankyntiew Mawrie

SHILLONG:

Meghalaya’s Leader of Opposition (LO) Dr Mukul Sangma on Thursday has requested the state government to recall the Meghalaya Residents’ Safety and Security Act (MRSSA) Amendment Bill 2020 and to implement the act in its original form.

"If the MRSSA Amendment Bill 2020 is likely to be delayed, we subscribe the idea of recalling the bill and ensure that MRSSA 2016 is operationalised in its original form without further delay in the best interest of the state,” Sangma told media persons after his meeting with the Governor, Satya Pal Malik.

Sangma also said that he will be writing to Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma to apprise him of the meeting with the governor and to request the government to recall the amendment bill.

The former CM said that the act which was passed in 2016 during his tenure, was a culmination of a long-drawn discussion with all stakeholders and has provisions which can protect the indigenous people and curb the influx.

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MUKUL ON ILP

On the issue of the Inner Line Permit (ILP), Sangma said that the demand for ILP has grown louder after the enactment of the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

“There was an assurance by the chief minister himself that they will pursue aggressively and prevail upon the government of India and see that ILP is implemented in Meghalaya. Now that should be taken up because this is a genuine apprehension of the people post-enactment of CAA,” the LO said.

Furthermore, he stated that the implementation of ILP, post-enactment of CAA, is imperative keeping in mind the importance of the state from a geopolitical perspective as Meghalaya shares a long international border with Bangladesh and the interstate border with Assam, including the demographic changes that the Northeast region has witnessed in the preceding decades.

MUKUL ON CORRUPTION

Reacting to the statement made by the government on the intention of the Congress to earn brownie points by levelling allegations of corruption, the leader of opposition said it is important for the government to examine the allegations, to find the truth and punish the perpetrators.

“It is only important for the people in the helms of affairs to ensure that the allegations are either true or not or if the allegations are true, they should allow the process of law to take its own course and punish the perpetrators. We are talking about facts, now where is the question of scoring brownie points?” Sangma asked.

Also Read: EDITORIAL | Is there a possibility for Meghalaya to get ILP?

MUKUL ON GHADC POLLS

On the delay of holding the elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), Sangma said that he has urged the governor to intervene adding, that there is no reason to delay the election process which was due in October this year.

“The reason because of the pandemic and surge in the number of COVID cases is ridiculous; which cannot be taken as a scientific and realistic decision and therefore, there should not be any reason for a further delay of the normal election to the GHADC,” he added.

Also Read: Meghalaya: CoMSO ready to take protest to the streets of Delhi to demand ILP