Shillong, July 17: The Hynñiewtrep Youths Council (HYC) on Monday said that it would not accept railway project without implementing Inner Line Permit (ILP).
Commemorating the 182nd death anniversary of freedom fighter, U Tirot Sing Syiem, HYC general secretary, Robert June Kharjahrin said that ILP can be implemented in Meghalaya as it is being implemented in other states of the Northeast.
“Without implementing ILP, we shall not accept railway line and the people of Khasi and Jaiñtia hills and Meghalaya as a whole accept ILP. With due respect to other groups that demand comprehensive mechanisms, the HYC will not accept mechanisms such as entry/exit points proposed to be set by the government since it is not strong as ILP,” Kharjahrin said.
He also that ILP was not implemented in Meghalaya since it caused political inconveniences to national political parties, as they feared that ILP would make them lose their vote bank, whereas in Manipur, the BJP and Congress supported the demand to implement ILP..
On the occasion, thousands of HYC activists marched from Dinam Hall, Jaïaw to State Central Library’s premises here and shouted slogans against the Congress-led government for its failure to implement ILP in the state that can safeguard the indigenous people.
Kharjahrin also asked ministers of the Congress-led government including chief minister, Mukul sangma to join a discussion on the 14-point of demands of the HYC to be held the Khasi National Durbar Hall here July 22.
During the march, HYC activists shouted slogan against ministers and the chief minister till they reach the State Central Library’s premises where they gathered a for a sit-in demonstration, and laid wreaths at the monument of U Tirot Sing there.
U Tirot Sing was defeated and captured by the British in January 1833 from a cave he was hiding in at Nongkhlaw and deported to Dhaka in Bangladesh where he died in captivity on July 17, 1835.