Shillong : BJP leader and Pynthorumkhrah MLA AL Hek on Monday said the demand for the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Meghalaya is being pursued by both the party and the state government, but stressed that any mechanism introduced must strike a balance between protecting the state’s interests and promoting tourism and smooth transit.
Speaking to reporters, Hek said the proposed ILP system should not impose one-sided restrictions that could adversely affect visitors or interstate travel.
“At our level and from the government level, we are pursuing that. The government should consider this, but there have to be dos and don’ts. It cannot be a one-sided restriction. It should benefit the people who are coming this side and also benefit the state for development through the tourists coming to Meghalaya,” he said.
Hek also highlighted the importance of ensuring uninterrupted transit movement through Meghalaya, particularly for travellers passing through the state to other destinations.
“Even if it is a transit state, it should not be a one-sided restriction. Restrictions have to factor in people coming from transiting states. Suppose someone is going from here to Guwahati and then to Silchar, that also we should look after. That should not be disrupted. There must be smooth flow. There should not be any disruption,” he added.
On the long-pending demand for inclusion of the Khasi and Garo languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, Hek said fresh representations have been submitted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“We had written a letter recently to the Prime Minister to include the Khasi and Garo languages in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India,” he said.
Hek maintained that priority should be given to whichever language fulfills all the prescribed criteria for inclusion.
“Whoever fulfills all the criteria should be given priority. If the Khasi language has fulfilled all criteria or the Garo language has fulfilled all criteria, they have to be given priority. If both fulfill all criteria, then both should be considered,” he said.
He further added that if only one of the two languages satisfies the required conditions, that language should be granted inclusion first.
Asked whether the Centre had responded to the request, Hek said no reply has been received so far.
“We have not received any response yet, but we have sent the letter not only from my side but also from the BJP Meghalaya president’s office to include the Khasi and Garo languages in the Eighth Schedule. We also requested that whichever of these two languages fulfills all the criteria should be given priority,” he said.