Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit doubts MDA's meeting with Amit Shah on ILP

SHILLONG: Former MLA of Nongkrem, Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit said that the failure of the Union Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss the Inner Line Permit (ILP) issue has created doubt that the MDA government had even met him.

He was reacting to Shah's refusal to discuss the ILP issue during his meeting with the delegation of the State Cabinet and various pressure groups during his visit to the State on January 23.

Basaiawmoit said that Shah's recent visit has saddened the people of the State for his unwillingness to talk about the vital issues especially the demand for implementation of ILP in Meghalaya.

Stating that this has sent a wrong impression on the part of the State leaders, the former legislator said the question is whether the State leaders had really met and discussed with the Union leaders in the past as they have explained to the people of the State from time to time.

"It creates a doubt. If they (MDA) had really discuss and met the union home minister on the issue of ILP, we would have expected that the home minister would have at least give a line or a very short statement to the social and pressure groups that this matter has been discussed with your state leaders so give us sometime, the government of India will invite you to Delhi to further discuss the issue but nothing of that kind came from him as a union home minister," he said.

Condemning the attitude of the Union Home Minister, Basaiawmoit said, "It also shows that he (Shah) is not bothered about the problems of the people of Meghalaya, which is very unfortunate and condemnable."