SHILLONG, May 25: The VPP’s demand for a review of the state reservation policy of 1972 got a major boost on Thursday with the UDP, the number two party in the MDA 2.0 Government, coming out in support of the former.
UDP general secretary Jemino Mawthoh paid a visit to VPP president Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit and announced that the latter has the support of UDP over its demand for a review of the job quota policy.
“A delegation of UDP MLAs, MDCs and leaders will urge the government to review the reservation policy,” Mawthoh said.
Echoing Mawthoh, KHADC CEM and UDP leader, Titosstarwell Chyne said the government should constitute an independent commission comprising of experts to examine the reservation policy.
“Constitutionally, the reservation policy be reviewed every ten years,” the CEM said.
Chyne also said that the reservation policy and roster system are interlinked. “Therefore, we cannot discuss the roster individually,” he said urging the political parties, political leaders, and pressure groups to be united since it is an issue that concerns the entire community.
KSU demands review of job quota policy by expert panel
The KSU on Thursday raised pitch for a review of the Meghalaya State Reservation Policy, 1972 by an expert committee.
KSU president Lambokstarwell Marngar told reporters it is high time that the policy, which has been there for more than 51 years, is reviewed.
“This is not a new thing for the union since its past leaders also advocated a review of this policy for ensuring that it does not favour any particular community,” he said.
He said the union understands that the policy cannot be changed overnight but insisted the government should constitute an expert committee to dwell on its pros and cons.
“We are not saying that it should be based on the population ratio. What we want is that the policy should not be biased. It should not benefit a particular community,” Marngar said.
He said the union wants that the policy after a review serves the interests of future generations. He said they have seen that the Voice of the People Party, under the leadership of its president Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit, is also demanding a review of the policy.
The KSU president said they are demanding a review not to create a rift between the Hynniewtrep and the A’chik communities.
However, it is not justified that a policy, which has been there since 1972, should not be reviewed, he said.
Meanwhile, Marngar maintained that the roster system should be implemented prospectively. He said the union would not endorse if the government decides to implement it from 1972.
“We are happy that the government has already constituted a committee to review the implementation of the roster system,” the KSU president said.
At the same time, he categorically stated that the government should not use wording which will create more confusion.
Mentioning that the government has used the term compensatory roster system, he said it should simply mention that the roster system will be implemented prospectively.
He demanded that the government review the clauses of the office memorandum for the implementation of the roster system.
“We have seen that there are clauses which would contradict. We would want the government to remove these clauses from the office memorandum,” Marngar said, adding the KSU will reveal these clauses at an appropriate forum.
He said they are awaiting an invitation from the government to submit its presentation on how it plans to implement the roster system.
