Shillong: Following checks carried out by the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Friday convened a meeting with the Union to discuss their demands for the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP), Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), and other state-related issues.
KSU expressed discontentment and mentioned that they will continue with their checks and protests.
General Secretary Donald Thabah informed mediapersons that they will persist with their protests and checks on migrant laborers to pressure the central government to implement ILP and MRSSA.
Thabah said, “The government has assured us to look into these matters but as we have stated, we are tired of the word ‘examination’ as it might take one to two months or it might take five to ten years. Therefore, the KSU will continue to be vigilant in checking the entry of people into the state.”
Thabah also informed that the Union pointed out that The Meghalaya Identification, Registration (Safety & Security) of Migrant Workers Act, 2020 is a “weak” Act with too many loopholes.
“This is because if you look at the Inter-State Migrant Workmen Act, the documents that need to be furnished are a photo ID and police verification from the states they come from, apart from other documents. However, in the new Act, police verification is not required. So we have asked the government to make police verification mandatory for the registration of migrant workers in the state,” he said.
“Also, the Inter-State Migrant Workmen Act states that the penalty for a contractor who violates the Act will be one year in jail, but in the new Act, they only have to pay Rs 5,000. Just imagine a big contractor or company from the state or outside; they can easily pay Rs 5,000. But if there is a jail penalty, it will affect them, and there is a chance for them to be blacklisted,” said Thabah.
Concerning the summons and notices issued to the leaders and members of the Union, Thabah said that KSU does not have the habit of making any pleas to withdraw or release any of its members, but their objective is to demand ILP and other important issues pertaining to the state.
Also Read: Grandson, 21, murders 72-year-old grandmother in Sikkim