SHILLONG, JUN 4: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) that the Centre may intervene in the Assam-Meghalaya border dispute if inter-state talks falter, and that a committee of retired Supreme Court judges will soon be constituted to examine the demand for inclusion of Khasi in the Eighth Schedule.
The assurances were given during a meeting between Shah and a KSU delegation in Shillong, where the Home Minister is attending the 73rd Plenary of the North Eastern Council.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, KSU general secretary Reuben Najiar said the Union flagged three key issues. The first was the Inner Line Permit (ILP).
“We conveyed to the Union Home Minister that ILP has been a long-pending demand of the people of Meghalaya,” Najiar said.
“With mass evictions of illegal immigrants in West Bengal and Assam, these immigrants are not returning to Bangladesh but are settling elsewhere. Since Meghalaya has no law to protect itself from such illegal immigration, it is high time ILP is implemented to safeguard the microscopic population of the Khasis, Jaintias, and Garos.”
The second issue was the interstate border dispute with Assam. “We informed the Home Minister that Assam has recently turned aggressive, even in disputed areas where the status quo must be maintained,” Najiar said.
“In Lapangap and elsewhere, Assam has acted as the aggressor, violating the spirit of peaceful settlement with Meghalaya.”
On this, Najiar said Shah responded directly. “The Union Home Minister assured us that this is a dispute between two states, and if the Centre finds that the process is not proceeding through proper channels, the Government of India will intervene.”
The third demand was the inclusion of Khasi in the Eighth Schedule. “The Home Minister stated that the matter is in progress and that in the coming days or months, a committee comprising retired Supreme Court judges will be constituted,” Najiar said. “There are around 100 languages seeking inclusion, and this committee will take a final call on the matter.”
Asked whether the meeting was fruitful, Najiar said, “We cannot say if the meeting was fruitful or not. As a union, our duty is to present our views and highlight the issues of the state. It is for the state and central governments to examine all aspects and implement solutions.”
On ILP, he added, “This has been a long-pending demand. Over the years, we have held protests and agitations to stress the need for an Inner Line Permit to protect the indigenous people of the Khasi and Jaintia Hills. It is now for the Centre to examine the issue and clarify why ILP should or should not be granted.” Despite the uncertainty, the KSU remains optimistic.
“Manipur received ILP in 2019. We are hopeful that Meghalaya will also get ILP in the coming months or years,” Najiar said.
By Our Reporter
