Shillong, Dec 17: National People’s Party (NPP) leader and deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong on Tuesday said he is glad that the opposition Congress has finally realized the need to implement the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the state.

“I am very glad to know that the Congress is in line with the state government’s decision to pass a resolution to demand implementation of the ILP in the state. I am also glad that the Congress has finally realized…,” Tynsong told reporters here.

The Congress had announced its decision to support the government resolution in the special session of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly to be held on December 19.

The then Congress-led state government while expressing its inability to implement ILP in 2013 had instead came up with the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act, 2016 as part of the anti-influx comprehensive mechanisms.

Asked, Tynsong, who was also part of the then government, recalled how the former chief minister Mukul Sangma was reluctant to agree with the ILP demand.

“He (Mukul) had also then maintained that ILP is not needed in the state of Meghalaya. May be at that point of time, it was like that but today ILP is so relevant after the government of India passed the Citizenship Amendment Act,” he said.

Although there is mention that the amended Citizenship Act will be exempted from Sixth Schedule areas of the state, the deputy chief minister however said but the question is how to ensure protection of the indigenous people.

“Therefore, the state government felt it necessary to bring the resolution to implement ILP in order to ensure all genuine citizens including both tribal and non-tribal are fully protected,” he stated.