SHILLONG, JUN 4: Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Thursday handed over a memorandum to Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking stronger mechanisms to check illegal immigration, including implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) and Presidential assent to the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security (Amendment) Bill, 2020, while reiterating the state’s demand for inclusion of Khasi and Garo in the Eighth Schedule.
“The need to strengthen mechanisms to check illegal immigration into the State of Meghalaya has been strongly felt by the Government of Meghalaya to strengthen the security of the state and to fulfill longstanding demands of the people,” Sangma said in the memorandum.
Sangma noted that the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly had unanimously passed a resolution on December 19, 2019, demanding ILP under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873, days after the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 came into force.
“The need for implementation of Inner Line Permit is necessitated in the State of Meghalaya due to the coming into force of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 on 12th December 2019,” the memorandum stated.
While the CAA exempts Sixth Schedule areas, the resolution said the exemption “will not be adequate to protect and safeguard the interests of the tribal population of the state.”
It urged the Centre to implement ILP “to further protect the rights of the indigenous/tribal population as has been granted to the State of Manipur.”
The Chief Minister also sought reconsideration of the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security (Amendment) Bill, 2020, which mandates that all persons staying in the state for more than 48 hours furnish information through a digital app. Permanent residents, MPs, MLAs, and government servants are exempt.
“The purpose of the Act is to ensure enhanced security vetting of tenants and to ensure the safety and security of the citizens of the State by preventing anti-social elements from gaining shelter in the State which might be detrimental to peace,” the memorandum said.
The Bill, passed by the Assembly in March 2020, was reserved by the Governor for Presidential assent.
Sangma said the Ministry of Home Affairs had observed that the proposed legislation was “constitutionally invalid” and “ex-facie beyond the legislative competence of the State Legislature in view of Article 19 (1)(d) of the Constitution of India.”
He urged the Centre to review the position, stating the Bill “is squarely within the legislative competence of the State and also does not violate any of the Fundamental Rights.”
On languages, Sangma said the state has long sought inclusion of Khasi and Garo in the Eighth Schedule. The Assembly passed a resolution to that effect on November 27, 2018, which was forwarded to the MHA on December 14, 2018.
“The Khasi and Garo languages are the most commonly used languages in the State of Meghalaya and none of the languages from the State of Meghalaya have been considered for inclusion in the Eighth Schedule,” the memorandum said.
It listed benefits of inclusion, including “annual Sahitya Akademi awards, funds for implementation of the language, job opportunities for speakers, including it as a subject in the UPSC examination and many other unaccountable advantages.”
Sangma added that both languages “have fulfilled the requisite criteria that are considered to be eligible for inclusion in the Eighth Schedule” and noted that Khasi and Garo were made official languages of the state through the Meghalaya Official Languages Ordinance, 2026.
“The Government of India is requested to consider the inclusion of Khasi and Garo languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India,” he said.
By Our Reporter
