Meghalaya CM goes Christmas shopping as normalcy returns

Shillong, Dec 21: Mobile internet services have resumed in Meghalaya, eight days after they were snapped in the wake of violent protests over the new citizenship law, officials said on Saturday.

The ban on mobile internet and mass messaging services, imposed on December 12, was lifted at around 7 pm on Friday due to improvement in law and order situation, a senior home department official told PTI.

Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma reviewed the law and order situation in the state with senior home department officials and issued instructions for restoring mobile internet and messaging services in the state, he said.

The official said the decision towards restoring the mobile internet and messaging services was taken after the state Assembly on Thursday unanimously adopted a resolution urging the Centre to implement the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Meghalaya.

The curfew imposed in Sadar and Lumdiengjri police station limits in the hill town was also relaxed for 16 hours from 5 pm on Saturday and no untoward incident was reported in these areas in the past 24 hours, East Khasi Hills District Magistrate M W Nongbri said.

Meanwhile, the chief minister was seen shopping for Christmas at Police Bazaar area of the town on Friday night.

He visited a state-run hospital on Saturday morning to meet the people who were injured during protests against the new citizenship law.

The Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organisation (COMSO), an umbrella body of several organisations and pressure groups, has welcomed the state government's decision to pass a resolution demanding implementation of ILP in the state.

COMSO members, however, are continuing with demonstrations across the state.
"We will continue protesting the new citizenship law till Meghalaya is exempted from its purview," COMSO Chairman R Kharjahrin said.