Pro-inner line permit groups, under the Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organisations, will launch a massive movement to persuade the Centre to extend the permit system to the state.

Announcing this on Friday, confederation chairman Robertjune Kharjahrin said the 17 groups under the umbrella organisation will hold talks with various individuals and heads of traditional institutions in Shillong and Tura to turn the demand for ILP into a massive movement.

“We want it to be a people’s movement. Hence, we are not going to organise impromptu protests against the delay on the part of the Centre to extend the ILP to Meghalaya,” he said.

The confederation said the public movement would be launched in the next few weeks on conclusion of talks with individuals and groups.

Expressing disappointment over the outcome of Thursday’s meeting between Union home minister Amit Shah and a delegation led by chief minister Conrad K. Sangma, Kharjahrin wondered why the chief minister expressed “satisfaction” after meeting the top minister.

In the meeting, Shah reportedly assured the delegation that the Centre was examining the resolution passed by the Meghalaya Assembly demanding the implementation of the ILP.

The delegation was also assured that the Centre would not allow the “dilution” of tribal rights.

“The Constitution has different provisions to protect the rights of the tribals and the Centre will never allow those rights to be diluted in any way. If there are any measures that would be tantamount to encroachment on tribal rights, the Centre will work in coordination with Meghalaya to safeguard the interests of the people. In every possible way, the Centre will always ensure that tribal rights are protected,” the chief minister said, quoting Shah.

A press communiqué said the Meghalaya “delegation” expressed its satisfaction with the meeting.

“We were made to understand that the purpose of the meeting was to seek the implementation of the ILP. But the delegation did not get what we wanted. If it was not agreed that the ILP would be extended to Meghalaya, what was there to be satisfied about?” Kharjahrin asked

He also said under phase II of its “direct action” programme in implementing the ILP, the confederation will work with the district task force, labour department and the autonomous district councils to conduct checks in work places to weed out “illegal immigrants”.

It will also conduct surprise checks at all the anti-infiltration checkgates to ensure that the police personnel were performing their duty.

Kharjahrin said the demand for ILP in Meghalaya resurfaced after the Centre decided to extend the permit regime to Manipur last year.

“All along, the Centre had stated that the ILP would not be extended to new states. But it extended the ILP to Manipur last year. If Manipur could get, why not Meghalaya? If the indigenous population there can be safeguarded, why can’t the same be done for our state?” he asked. (See Page 11)