SHILLONG, May 29: Four pressure groups — FKJGP, JSU, RBYF and HNYF — on Monday asked the state government to immediately invite VPP president, Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit and his group for a discussion to review the job reservation policy of 1972.
Speaking to reporters after the members of the four groups met Basaiawmoit, who is on an indefinite hunger strike since May 23, FKJGP president Dundee Cliff Khongsit said that they want to send a clear message to the government that enough is enough.
“We want the state government not to delay inviting the VPP president for a discussion. We condemn the adamant attitude of the government since it has been a week since Basaiawmoit has been holding his indefinite hunger strike,” he said.
The demand to review the job reservation policy is the voice of every household, every parent, and every youth of the Hynniewtrep community, he said. “We are saying how it should be done. We will leave it to the wisdom of the state government,” the Khongsit said.
HYC president Robertjune Kharjahrin said his organisation would be compelled to demand the creation of a separate state for the Hynniewtrep people if the government remains stubborn on the job quota policy.
“It is a long-pending demand to review the policy in force for more than 51 years. The demand is not going to benefit any regional party,” he said.
He lambasted the state government for trying to implement the roster system prospectively and for also trying to fill up the vacant posts in various government departments with applicants from one particular community. This is unacceptable and highly questionable, he said.
“The youth belonging to the Hynniewtrep community are losing hope as the government led by a chief minister belonging to another community is not ready to discuss the reservation policy,” Kharjahrin said.
He said the policy needs a review as it has benefitted a particular community for five decades.
“We want a proportionate job reservation policy,” he added.
On the demand that Tura should be Meghalaya’s winter capital, the HYC president said this could justify the call for two separate budgets – one for the Khasi-Jaintia Hills region and the other for the Garo Hills region.
“We are also ready to accept a division of the state. This is a very serious issue and we want it to be resolved without any violence,” he said.
Kharjahrin also urged the cabinet ministers, MLAs and pressure groups to ensure that this matter is resolved amicably.
