Photo Courtesy: nenews
Shillong: A coalition of ten pressure groups has handed Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma a 30-day deadline to enforce anti-influx laws. The Joint Co-ordination Committee warned of mass public agitation if the government ignores these long-standing demands. The group sent a formal letter to the Chief Minister on November 3.
The collective represents the Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People, Hyniewtrep National Youth Front, Ri-Bhoi Youth Federation, Jaintia Students Union, and Garo Students Union. The A-Chik Youth Welfare Organisation, Association for Democracy and Empowerment, Federation for A-Chik Freedom, All A-Chik Youth Welfare Society, and A-Chik Holistic Awakening Movement round out the coalition. These groups argue that protecting the Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo communities requires urgent state action.
Key grievances include the failure to enact the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act of 2016 and the Meghalaya Identification Registration (Safety and Security) of Migrant Workers Act of 2020. The committee also cited stalled progress on entry and exit points, boundary disputes, and the Meghalaya Benami Transactions Prohibition and Detection Act. These issues have dragged on since 2013.
The coalition blames the government for lacking the guts to act. "The State Government's lack of political will to enforce and stringently implement these laws poses a grave threat to the indigenous people, including the Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo communities," the committee stated. They plan to take to the streets if the silence continues after the month expires.
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