SHILLONG:
Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Kumar Mishra on August 19 said that the Centre was studying the demand for implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Meghalaya and was committed to addressing the concerns of the indigenous people.
Speaking to reporters here, the minister said the Centre has been working hard on the issue and a resolution is expected soon.
The state assembly had in 2019 passed a resolution urging the Centre for immediate implementation of ILP in the state. The Centre’s failure to make its stand clear on the resolution adopted by the state has irked anti-influx groups who have expressed disappointment over the delay.
Refusing to comment on the development, Mishra said all information could not be divulged since the issue was under the consideration of the Centre.
“Whenever an issue is under consideration or when demands for certain things are there, it is not feasible to disclose anything until a policy is passed,” he stated.
On the demand for inclusion of Khasi and Garo languages in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India, Mishra said the Centre had come up with the new education policy and the prime minister has had said that the primary education will begin with the mother tongue.
“So whatever is our mother tongue, all languages must get due respect in the country and we are also working on that where all the languages whether it is spoken by a larger section of people or a small number should get respect and this we have started as part of our new education policy,” he stated.