SHILLONG:
The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) will take the decision on whether to accept the railway projects or not only after the inner line permit (ILP) is implemented in the state.
This decision was reiterated after a meeting of the general executive council (GEC), which also resolved to hold the election of the new central executive committee (CEC) of the KSU on May 6.
Addressing media persons, KSU chief Lambokstawell Marngar said the GEC has decided to entrust the election committee of the union for holding the general election of the union on May 6.
He said the meeting also resolved to aggressively pursue the demand for implementation of the ILP, which has been pending since 1987.
The KSU had written to the Prime Minister for his intervention in the matter after the state government had passed an official resolution for ILP implementation on December 19, 2019.
“We have also reminded the Centre through the central ministers who visited the state from time to time. However, we don’t know what is the reason why this issue is still lying pending till now. Therefore, the GEC has also left it to the wisdom of the CEC to decide on the action to be taken on the matter,” Marngar said.
The chief minister Conrad K Sangma had said that the people of the state are not against the railway but are against the issue of influx and admitted that ILP is one of the ways to address the apprehension of influx.
When asked if the implementation of ILP will pave the way for railway projects in the state, the KSU chief however said, “The issue of the railway and ILP is different. The stand of the KSU is first to implement the ILP then we will discuss whether to accept or not the railway project. How can we discuss the railway project when ILP is yet to be implemented? Close the chapter on the railway. Let us first discuss the chapter on ILP.”
He said that the new body of the KSU will continue to pursue the ILP demand and pending issues related to the inclusion of the Khasi language in the Eighth Schedule, border issues, and others.