80% reservation should be for Meghalayans: Congress legislator

SHILLONG, April 21: Amidst the ongoing controversy over the roster system and the demand for review of the Meghalaya State Reservation Policy, 1972, Congress MLA Saleng A. Sangma has asked the citizens to develop the mindset of a Meghalayan rather than fighting as Khasis and Garos.
“80% of the reservation should be for ‘Meghalayans’ and not for Khasis, Jaintias and Garos,” Sangma observed while adding that any Khasi, Jaintia or Garo born and brought up in Meghalaya should be given the chance to apply for any job.
Speaking to media persons here on Friday, the vocal leader from Garo Hills said that the roster system was supposed to be implemented from the day the reservation system came into existence.
“However, the policy was never adhered to in letter and spirit from the first day itself,” he said. Saleng cautioned that both communities may end up facing a crisis if they continue to fight on the roster system and reservation policy.
Citing an example, he said that there were some vacancies in the Judiciary recently and even non-Khasis and non-Garos were allowed to sit for the examination which means that the Judiciary has already gone ahead with the roster system.
“We will lose whatever we have if we keep on fighting,” he said, appealing to the citizens to refrain from getting divided over the issue of the roster system.