SHILLONG: The Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) released its election manifesto on Friday – the first party in the state to do so. The manifesto includes 18 issues forming the election plank of the party. The emphasis, expectedly, is on economic and social issues as well as the oft-repeated demand for a separate Khasi-Jaintia state.
Referring to the manifesto, party president Ardent Basaiawmoit told reporters that the HSPDP aims to bring clean governance, strengthen the state’s exchequer, promote tourism and markets, especially the border markets, create employment opportunities and improve the recruitment procedures in Meghalaya Public Service Commission (MPSC) and District Selection Committee (DSC).
“The party will work for development of roads, electricity and water supply in rural areas, strive towards providing affordable healthcare and upgrading education, ensure safety of women and children and identify and promote talents among the youth,” he said.
The manifesto also stresses on issues such as implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) and reiterated the HSPDP’s opposition to mining uranium. It focuses on the party’s fight
for the inclusion of Khasi language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, including the rigorous application of Article 371.
Basaiawmoit spoke of steps to improve the land transfer act and the need to look into all aspects of land laws as well as settlement of boundary issues which, he observed, was a problem lingering for years.
Dwelling on the reasons behind the delay in releasing the manifesto, he said that the issues highlighted were first discussed in public meetings.
On the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) of the UDP-HSPDP alliance, he said, “We decided to have seperate manifestos. However, the CMP is there for the alliance as a whole.”
Demand for separate Khasi-Jaintia state
Basaiawmoit said that the party will continue to stress on the need for a separate Khasi-Jaintia state and that the HSPDP has come to an understanding with the Garo National Council (GNC) whose major pitch is for a separate Garoland.
“The name of a state bears the identity of its citizens like the Assamese have Assam, the Nagas have Nagaland and the Manipuris have Manipur whereas our state’s name doesn’t mention the communities residing within it,” he added.
Dwelling on Article 371, Basaiawmoit said the Article is a strong constitutional safeguard protecting the interests of indigenous people.
