SHILLONG, JAN 7: President of the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP), KP Pangniang on Thursday said the question of withdrawing from the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government over inner line permit (ILP) issue does not arise.
“The MDA government had considered the ILP issue (by passing an official resolution in the House) raised by the party and the question of withdrawing support does not arise at all,” Pangniang told reporters after chairing the CEC meeting.
He said implementation of ILP in the state is one of the promises made in the 2018 election manifesto of the party.
“We also expressed our appreciation to the MDA government under the leadership of the chief minister Conrad K Sangma for passing the resolution urging the Centre to immediately implement ILP in the state,” Pangniang said.
The CEC meeting was also attended by two MLAs – Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar and Samlin Malngiang, besides leaders and functionaries of the party.
Asked, the HSPDP president said now the ball is in the Centre’s court. “Now it all depends on the political will of the Centre to implement ILP in Meghalaya,” he said.
On the growing demand that the CM should lead all 60 legislators to Delhi for mounting pressure on the Centre to approve the resolution at the earliest, Pangniang however said, “We leave it to the wisdom of the CM to pursue this matter with the centre.”
With regards to the corruption allegations against the MDA government, he said that the party has also discussed issues related to the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) and the alleged illegal mining and transportation of coal.
“We have expressed concern over the issue related to the MeECL and has also decided to soon meet the chief minister for his intervention to ensure illegal coal trade is not allowed in the state,” he said.
Pangniang also said that party delegation would also suggest the need for the state government to legalise coal mining at the earliest. The unclaimed coal should be seized and auctioned accordingly so that the state will get revenue, he said.
Meanwhile, the HSPDP has also urged the state government to find out ways and means to resolve the long pending boundary dispute with Assam.
“There is also a need for having a committee of all political parties and traditional heads to discuss the matter,” he said.
Pangniang further informed that the party has also decided to organize a seminar to create awareness on the provisions of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India next month.
“We would also write to the chief minister requesting the need to amend para 12 A (b) of the Sixth Schedule,” he said.
By Our Reporter
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