Influx plug: Students dump tenancy bill in Meghalaya

Shillong: Angry students today tore copies of the draft Meghalaya Regulation of Landlords and Verification of Tenancy Bill, 2013 aimed to contain influx in the state, during a public consultation organised by state government. Students from various colleges in the state capital and from the North Eastern Hills University (NEHU) walked out of the U Soso Tham Auditorium against the Bill, which they alleged was full of “flaws”.[caption id=“attachment_1240633” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Caught in local and anti-local clash. AFP[/caption] The consultation chaired by Forest and Environment Minister Prestone Tynsong aimed at getting views and suggestion for tightening the noose on immigration of outsiders into the state. “We don’t want this Bill be implemented, as it does not really look into the issues on how to tackle influx. If the government is serious about the issue, it should instead draft a bill that speaks about influx,” Robert Kharjarin, a law graduate from NEHU, said. Chiefs of traditional bodies in several parts of the state have already expressed their opposition to the Bill, and boycotted the consultations held previously. Two persons were killed and another is battling for life at a hospital in anti-government attacks across the state since 3 September. Property worth Rs 50 crore was also damaged in violence. Over 75 pro-Inner Line Permit activists have been arrested and the government has lodged a compensation suit in a special court for recovery of the losses incurred due to the anti-government protests. PTI