Shillong, Feb 12: The People’s Democratic Front (PDF), part of the NPP-led MDA government, said it will not welcome any railway line without implementing ILP.
The PDF held a triennial conference of its central youth front at the Khasi National Dorbar Hall, Mawkhar, on Saturday and the stand on railway was taken.
“On September 18, last year, we met the chief minister Conrad K Sangma requesting the government not to go ahead with the introduction of the railway line in the region,” PDF president and cabinet minister Banteidor Lyngdoh told reporters.
The response of the PDF is following the recent statement of the chief minister that the state government is in favour of introduction of goods trains up to Byrnihat in Ri Bhoi district after the KHADC had refused to give no-objection certificate.
His cabinet colleague Hamletson Dohling said the party is not ready to welcome neither the goods trains nor the passenger trains till proper mechanisms are put in place to check influx into the state.
“As of now, ILP is still pending with the Government of India. So until and unless we have strong mechanisms to protect the indigenous people, we will not allow the introduction of either goods or passenger trains,” Dohling, said
ILP delay slammed
Dohling further criticised the Centre for its delay to grant ILP to Meghalaya.
“Due to the stubbornness of the Government of India, we do not know whether ILP will be granted to Meghalaya. It is high time that the Government of India says something about ILP, whether it will grant or reject the demand,” he said.
In 2019, the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly had passed a resolution urging the Centre to implement ILP in the state. Later, the union home minister Amit Shah had also met the state government and different stakeholders during his visits to Shillong.
When asked whether the BJP is trying to politicise the ILP issue in view of the upcoming 2023 Assembly polls in the state, Dohling, however, said, “Whether the BJP is politicising the ILP issue or not but the people of the state want ILP. Let the BJP politicise the issue if the ILP is granted, we are happy.
Boundary dispute
On boundary issue, Dohling said the party expects that six of the twelve areas of difference will soon be resolved.
“Hopefully, the Government of India and the Home Ministry will approve the reports submitted by the Government of Meghalaya and Government of Assam,” he said.
When asked, Dohling said the government is not trying to hide anything and assured that the reports submitted to the Centre will be made public at an appropriate time.
