NONGPOH:
The Khasi Students’ Union, which has been advocating the ILP since 1985, has warned political parties not to make false promises about implementing the regime in order to gain votes.
Speaking to The Meghalayan, Donald V Thabah, General Secretary of the union’s Central Executive Council, said that if the central government truly wants to grant the ILP, they should do so now, rather than using the issue for political gain. Thabah said, “If the Central Government wants to give us ILP they should give us now because we have been demanding it since 1985”.
Thabah also pointed out that Manipur obtained the ILP after submitting resolutions for it three times since 2013 and only achieving success through protests and persistent demands. He emphasised that the political will of the parties involved, rather than their connections or ruling status, is crucial in driving the implementation of the ILP.
Thabah stated, “To create a political agenda for the ILP issue is misleading because they do not have the political will. If they had the will, they should have submitted resolutions as Manipur did. The ILP implementation in Manipur was not achieved through the BJP-led government; it was the result of the resolution”.
Thabah also noted that the Khasi and Jaintia Hills were originally included in the preamble of the ILP, alongside the Naga and Lushai Hills, but the mention of specific tribes was later replaced with the names of the states. Despite being deserving of the ILP, the Khasi and Jaintia Hills have not received it after 38 years of demands. Thabah speculated that this may be due to the influence of illegal migrants or the actions of politicians who oppose the implementation of the ILP in the state. In contrast, Thabah remarked that politicians in Manipur are willing to support the demands of the public and are concerned about their well-being, which may have contributed to the successful implementation of the ILP there.
Thabah said that the lack of courage among politicians has resulted in a stagnation of progress on the ILP issue. He added that this lack of courage is not confined to the current government, but has also been present among past governments. Thabah also conveyed a message to political parties that promise to implement the ILP if they come to power: The KSU sends them this message- “First give us ILP, and we will ensure that you will be in power”.