SHILLONG:

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has pointed out that the move to set up facilitation centres or check gates under the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Amendment Bill (MRSSAB), 2020, will affect the movement of people through Meghalaya, which is a transit state.

The MRSSAB, 2020 was returned to the state government recently.

Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong on December 6 told reporters that the MHA had stated that the government’s intent to set up the facilitation centres or check gates as per provisions of the MRSSAB clashes with the laws passed by the Parliament and that it will affect and disturb the movement of people from one state to another keeping in mind Meghalaya is a  transit state.

He said the state government has decided to soon hold a consultation meeting to seek the suggestions and opinion of everyone on the matter.

“We are going to do it. Unfortunately, the chief minister is busy and hopefully very soon he will call a meeting with all stakeholders,” Tynsong said.

To a question, the deputy chief minister said, “The inner line permit (ILP) and MRSSA are different issues. We insist that we should get the ILP. ILP is a central Act. At the time when they passed the Act, there already existed provisions, which say you need to do this especially since Meghalaya is a transit state and make sure the movement of people is not disturbed – that is ILP.”

“But they (MHA) pinpoint that the MRSSA issue clashes (with the central Act) as any citizen of India is free to move from one state to another and there is no law which can prevent them from moving from one state to another. It is a different issue altogether. If they give ILP, there will be a provision, which will ensure no disturbance or inconveniences caused to people passing through the state,” he added.

Further, Tynsong said that the state government is following up with the Centre for immediate implementation of the ILP.

“Last time, the chief minister led a delegation and we met the prime minister and we discussed not only ILP but language issues also,” he added.