'Meghalaya's Concerns On CAA Addressed By Centre': CM Conrad Sangma As He Presses For This Exemption

In December 2019, the Meghalaya Assembly adopted a resolution to implement the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system in the state.

New Delhi: Meghalaya's Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said that the concerns of the state regarding the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) have been addressed by the Union government. Sangma, who leads the National People's Party (NPP), emphasised that most areas of the state come under the Sixth Schedule, which exempts them from the law.  

In an interview with PTI, CM Sangma underscored the necessity of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) regime in Meghalaya, which regulates the entry of outsiders into the state. He also reiterated that while the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) provides some level of protection, concerns have been raised with the Government of India. He emphasised the need for additional measures such as extending the Inner Line Permit (ILP) or other mechanisms to address these concerns.

"There are enough provisions in the CAA right now to protect us in one way, apart from the cutoff date that they've put and apart from the fact that 99.9 per cent is exempted... All these points are there. But we have still raised our concerns with the Government of India, and we have also asked for the extension of the ILP or any other mechanism that will help us address those concerns," he said, as quoted by PTI's report.

"We have asked if the non-scheduled areas can also be exempted (from the law)", he added.

In response to questions regarding the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), CM Conrad Sangma noted that concerns in Meghalaya, a state sharing a significant border with Bangladesh, saying that their concerns have been addressed with the exemption of Schedule 6 areas, reported PTI.

Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma On State's Inner Line Permit (ILP)

CM Sangma explained that the CAA initially lacked provisions for state exemptions. However, following discussions with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other leaders, revisions were made to include exemptions for areas under Schedule 6, such as Meghalaya, along with those governed by the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system.

"We have just requested the Government of India if we can still have the ILP... Because whatever happens in other states could have spill-over effect here, we have requested for that. We are happy that the Government of India exempted Meghalaya", PTI quoted CM Sangma as saying.

 "We have asked if the non-scheduled area can also be exempted, though it is very very small", he added. He further alluded to a resolution passed by the state Assembly to extend the ILP to the state, reported PTI.

In December 2019, the Meghalaya Assembly adopted a resolution to implement the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system in the state. The ILP is a special permit required by individuals from outside regions to enter states like Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Manipur.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), passed by Parliament in December 2019, grants Indian nationality to persecuted minorities from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan who arrived in India on or before December 31, 2014. However, the CAA exempts tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura, which are included in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, from its provisions.

The Sixth Schedule, a constitutional provision, grants special autonomous status to certain regions in India, primarily inhabited by indigenous tribal communities.