Shillong, April 17: The Voice of the People Party (VPP) today held its first of its three planned public rallies at Madan Heh, Mawlai Mawdatbaki, here today.
The party has organised this rally to provide proper and correct perspective to the public on the unjust implementation of the roster system based on the unfair premise of the existing state job reservation policy.
While addressing the gathering during the public meeting, VPP president, Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit said that the party is forced to reach out to the general public since the state government did not give them enough time to deliberate on the issue of roster system and on the need the reservation policy of 1972.
According to him, they were given only ten minutes to dwell on this issue in the Assembly which is not acceptable.
While making it clear that they are not against any indigenous tribe who are part and parcel of the State, Basaiawmoit said that they wanted the government to put the implementation of the roster system on hold till the time the present reservation policy is reviewed.
“It is really sad that there is an attempt to mislead the stand of the party. We have taken up this issue since we have seen many of the youths are in depression since they are not sure if they will be getting employment,” VPP president said.
He also suggested that the state government can constitute a committee comprising of experts and leaders from the Khasi and Garo communities to deliberate on the discrepancies in the present reservation policy.
According to him, it is important that the state reservation policy should cater to the differently abled people and people from the economically weaker sections.
“The present reservation policy is not proportionate if we look in terms of the population of the two major tribes of the State, ” Basaiawmoit said.
The second public rally will be held at Iawmusiang, Jowai, at 12 noon on April 19 while the third one will be organised at Jaiaw at 2 pm on April 20.