SHILLONG: In a sharp indictment of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government’s legislative resolve, the Hynniewtrep Youths’ Council (HYC) has termed the ‘collapse’ of the Meghalaya Residents’ Safety and Security (Amendment) Bill, 2020 as a “self-inflicted failure”, accusing the ruling dispensation of deliberate inaction.
The criticism follows Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong’s recent remark that the Bill was allowed to “die a natural death,” with responsibility being shifted to the previous Mukul Sangma–led government. The HYC has outright rejected this explanation.
HYC President Roy Kupar Synrem said laws do not fail organically but are either advanced through political will or abandoned by executive choice.
“A law does not die naturally. It is either pursued with legislative intent or discarded through inaction,” Synrem asserted.
According to the HYC, by allowing the Bill to lapse, the NPP-led MDA government has effectively admitted that it chose not to exercise its constitutional authority to safeguard the rights and security of Meghalaya’s residents.
Trail of Delay
The Council pointed to a timeline that it says exposes the government’s lack of seriousness:
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March 2020: The Bill was introduced by the present government with strong assurances.
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November 2023: The Ministry of Home Affairs returned the Bill seeking review.
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Thereafter: Despite repeated claims of legal consultations and stakeholder engagement, no concrete steps were taken—despite the government enjoying a clear majority in the Assembly.
“Shifting responsibility to a previous regime does not absolve the present government. The failure is not historical; it is current,” the HYC stated.
‘Alternative to ILP’ Now in Limbo
The MRSSA framework had long been projected by the government as a robust alternative to the Inner Line Permit (ILP). The HYC warned that allowing the Bill to lapse sends a dangerous message that the protection of indigenous people is “negotiable, deferrable, and expendable.”
The HYC has now demanded a clear and unequivocal stand from the MDA government:
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Will the government pursue a strong entry-regulation law with the Government of India?
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Or has it formally abandoned the objective of a statutory mechanism to regulate entry into Meghalaya?
The HYC warned that it will pursue the matter through all democratic and constitutional means, stating that continued silence or evasion would be treated as confirmation of governmental failure.
