The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) has sharply criticised Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong’s recent remark that the Meghalaya Residents’ Safety and Security (Amendment) Bill, 2020, has been allowed to “die a natural death,” blaming its failure on the previous Mukul Sangma-led government.
In a statement, HYC president Roykupar Synrem said the comment was “not a political opinion but a self-indictment of the present government’s failure.” He stressed that a law does not lapse on its own but is either advanced through legislative intent or abandoned through executive inaction.
Synrem pointed out that the MRSS Amendment Bill was introduced in the Assembly in March 2020 under the present Chief Minister. He noted that in November 2023, the Bill was returned by the Ministry of Home Affairs for review. From that point, the government repeatedly assured the public of re-examination, legal consultations and stakeholder engagement, but no amendment to the principal Act was ever brought before the House despite the government enjoying a clear majority and ample time.
Accusing the current administration of shifting responsibility to the previous regime, the HYC president said any legislative defects could have been rectified at any stage during the MDA government’s tenure. “The failure to do so is not historical; it is current,” he said.
The youth body also highlighted contradictions in the government’s position, stating that repeated claims that the Centre had “not rejected” the Bill contrast sharply with the present admission that it has been allowed to lapse. According to the HYC, these inconsistencies reflect indecision and a lack of seriousness on an issue directly affecting indigenous security and demographic stability.
Warning that allowing the Residents’ Safety framework to collapse without a replacement sends a dangerous signal, the HYC said it suggests that the protection of indigenous people is negotiable and expendable.
The council demanded clear answers from the government on whether it intends to pursue a strong law with enforceable provisions in consultation with the Centre or has formally abandoned the objective of a statutory entry-regulation mechanism. The HYC said it would continue to pursue the matter through all democratic and constitutional means until the government provides clarity, accountability and action.