Shillong, June 4: The Centre may intervene in case of a stalled state-level talks to resolve the Meghalaya-Assam border dispute, Union Home Minister Amit Shah told a delegation of Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) here on Thursday.
The KSU was also assured by the Home Minister of setting up of a panel of retired Supreme Court judges to decide on inclusion of Khasi in the Eighth Schedule, according to KSU general secretary Reuben Najiar.
Reiterating its “long-pending demand for ILP before the Home Minister, the KSU stated, “With mass evictions in West Bengal and Assam, illegal immigrants are not returning to Bangladesh but settling elsewhere. Meghalaya has no law to protect itself. It is high time ILP is implemented to safeguard the microscopic population of Khasis, Jaintias, and Garos.”
On the border dispute, the KSU said Assam had “turned aggressive” in disputed areas.
“In Lapangap and elsewhere, Assam has acted as the aggressor, violating the status quo,” Najiar said.
Shah assured the KSU that “if the Centre finds the process is not proceeding through proper channels, the Government of India will intervene”, he said.
On the Eighth Schedule, Najiar said Shah confirmed the matter is in progress.
“A committee of retired Supreme Court judges will be constituted in the coming months. With around 100 languages seeking inclusion, the panel will take a final call,” he said.
Asked if the meeting was fruitful, Najiar said, “Our duty is to present the state’s issues. It is for the state and Centre to examine and implement.”
He added, “ILP has seen years of protests and agitations. It is now for the Centre to clarify why ILP should or should not be granted.”
The KSU remains hopeful. “Manipur got ILP in 2019. We are hopeful Meghalaya will also get it in the coming months or years,” Najiar said.
