Cries of “No CAB, Yes ILP” rend the air with thousands chanting slogans against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, and demanding implementation of the Inner-Line Permit (ILP) in Meghalaya to safeguard the indigenous peoples.

From the different corners the Khasi and Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya, scores of people attended a public march and meeting organised by the Confederation of Hynñiewtrep Social Organisations (CoHSO) at Students’ Field, Jaiaw, here.

Their demands are uncomplicated: do away with the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, and implement ILP.

Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) chief executive member H.S. Shylla told the crowd that the Conrad K. Sangma government should be given just a week’s time to implement the ILP by agreeing to a legislation passed by the council last year. The crowd cheered.

“I think we should stop hitting out at Narendra Modi and the BJP and the Centre. It is time for us to now focus on chief minister Conrad Sangma and demand that he implement the ILP,” Shylla said.

He also said that a bigger gathering could be called at Polo ground to press for the implementation of the ILP in case Conrad did not oblige.

The KHADC chief also made a surprise announcement: that he has resigned from the National People’s Party (NPP), the party leading the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government here.

“I have resigned from the primary membership of the NPP. I feel it is an insult to be in the party, which is in power but does not want to give consent to the bills passed by the council,” Shylla said.

BJP legislator from South Shillong, Sanbor Shullai, told the gathering that next week, he would go to Delhi. “I will tell the Prime Minister to exempt Meghalaya and the Northeast from the bill, and we will give him (Modi) a timeframe of one month to fulfil this demand. If he fails, I will resign from the BJP.”

Shullai had submitted a memorandum to Modi during the BJP National Convention in Delhi this month, expressing reservation against the bill. But he has not received any reply from Modi.

BJP legislator in Meghalaya and health minister A.L. Hek said his party in the state and legislators, along with the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government opposed the bill as “it is based on religion”. He, however, did not commit if he would resign from the party if the NDA government went ahead and implemented the bill.

Former legislator Paul Lyngdoh said if the bill is passed, the indigenous communities of the region and the state will approach the UN.

COHSO chairman Robertjune Kharjahrin said the meeting had resolved to oppose the bill and seek implementation of the ILP.