SHILLONG: In a fiery takedown of the Conrad Sangma-led government, Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma launched a political blitzkrieg, calling out the ruling dispensation for what he described as “the biggest lie” ever told to the people of Meghalaya — the promise of implementing the Inner Line Permit (ILP). He asserted that the government deliberately misled the Assembly and the public with false assurances, while failing miserably to implement the state’s own legal instrument, the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA).
Dr Sangma, who authored the MRSSA, meticulously dissected the legal, constitutional, and administrative intricacies of the Act and condemned the present government for “derailing its mandate.” “I never promised ILP because I knew I couldn’t convince the Government of India. I did my due diligence. But the present government gave false hope. That’s the biggest lie. They told the House and the people – adopt this resolution, and it is done. That means they lied. That means they misled the House,” Dr Sangma declared.
He accused the government of half-heartedly implementing MRSSA, leading to judicial intervention. “The court never said the Act was unconstitutional. It only pointed out the absence of proper guidelines. Why were the guidelines never framed? Why was the government not prepared to fight back? They messed up everything,” he said.
Dr Sangma warned that the state’s legislative powers are bound by constitutional limits and described the process of drafting the MRSSA as “tightrope walking.” He said, “When you script a law like MRSSA, you walk a fine line. You must address public concerns without overstepping legislative jurisdiction. I know because I walked that tightrope.”
He defended the Act’s empowerment of traditional institutions, such as Rangbah Shnongs and Nokmas, saying they were legally vested with the authority to regulate settlement in their localities. “The Rangbah Shnong in my locality in Nongrim Hills can decide who should stay and who should not. That’s the kind of power MRSSA provides — grounded in legality and community governance,” he stressed.
Dr Sangma lashed out at the government for attempting to amend MRSSA without constitutional diligence, stating, “They went beyond their legislative domain and hit a wall. I had warned them not to do it. They delayed the implementation by their incompetence.”
Citing the facilitation centres mandated by the Act and the designated entry-exit points, he emphasized that MRSSA had already passed constitutional muster. “These are not challengeable in any court. They have withstood judicial scrutiny. But the government lacks sincerity. They want outsiders to take over our businesses, our lands, even our medical college. That’s their true intent. That’s why they won’t implement the Act.”
The Opposition leader reiterated that MRSSA, if properly executed, can effectively act as a deterrent against unregulated influx. “A bird in hand is worth more than two in the bush. MRSSA is our bird. Let’s not kill it because the government is lying about two birds flying around in Delhi,” he said in a final jibe at the government’s ILP bluff.
Dr Sangma’s blistering critique exposes a deeper crisis — not just of policy paralysis, but of political deceit. As Meghalaya grapples with the fear of demographic change, his words strike at the heart of the state’s legislative dignity and the government’s credibility.
