The Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organisations (COMSO) on Tuesday asked Shillong MP Vincent Pala to make his stand clear on the implementation of the inner-line permit (ILP).

This came after Pala, according to media reports, claimed that the Centre could offer Meghalaya two options — to do away with the existing Sixth Schedule or to implement the ILP regime.

Meghalaya has demanded the Centre to extend the provisions of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873 to the entire state following the enactment of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.

It has also asked for the inclusion of all areas under the Sixth Schedule. At present, about 97 per cent of the state’s area is under the Schedule.

“We do not subscribe to the views of Pala that the state would have to choose only one — either ILP or the Sixth Schedule, and that if ILP is implemented, the Sixth Schedule would be rescinded. This is misleading. As an MP, Pala should fight for the people. If he is against the ILP, he should say it openly,” the confederation’s chairman, Robertjune Kharjahrin, said.

Kharjahrin said the Sixth Schedule was a shield to protect the traditions, culture, land, trade, and traditional institutions. He said the Sixth Schedule should be strengthened, and it was the duty of the MP to ensure that it is fortified.

The ILP, he said, was like a sword to check the entry of outsiders into the state, and it is mandated to protect the indigenous people from being overwhelmed. “In Meghalaya, we still require the district councils and the implementation of the ILP. We need both the shield and the sword to protect us. We cannot choose only one. Both are our rights,” Kharjahrin added.

He said in Mizoram, where the permit system is in place, there are three district councils apart from the operation of Article 371. Similarly, Nagaland, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh have the ILP, along with the implementation of the Article. “We cannot say that if the ILP is implemented, we will lose the Sixth Schedule. We should be the same with other states where ILP, Sixth Schedule or Article 371 are in operation,” he added.