SHILLONG, May 30: Succumbing to pressure from various quarters, the state government on Tuesday issued a notification, reconstituting the Committee on Reservation Roster and mandating it to hold discussions on the job reservation policy apart from the roster system and submit its report to the state government.
Headed by Law Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh as chairperson, the committee was constituted recently with members drawn from all political parties.
However, the government’s latest decision to allow the committee to discuss the job reservation policy seemed to have made no impact on VPP president Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit who made it explicitly clear that he will continue with his hunger strike until the government endorses their demand to review the job reservation policy.
“I will not move from this place. I will continue with my hunger strike. The government needs to endorse our demand for a review of the job reservation policy,” Basaiawmoit said addressing a large gathering of students and citizens at the parking lot near Additional Secretariat.
He said the VPP will take part in the deliberations of the committee and await the outcome of Wednesday’s meeting.
“We will accordingly decide whether to call off the indefinite hunger strike. We will continue with the protest if there is no positive outcome,” he said.
He expressed happiness that the issue united the Hynniewtrep communities (Khyriam, Pnar, Bhoi, and War).
“…We need to continue this spirit and not allow attempts by forces to divide the community,” he said.
He further said the VPP’s aim is to transform and revive the state to ensure a brighter future for the next 40 to 50 years. He said this is only the beginning and there are many other things that the party wants to do.
“We want to wage a war against corruption. This is one of the reasons which affected the youth. I am sure there will be ample employment opportunities for the youth if corruption is removed from the system,” Basaiawmoit said.
Meanwhile, he said the government is trying very hard to see the ongoing protest turns violent.
“We should not fall into this trap. The government wants law and order to break down to break our campaign. The government wants to confront us but we will continue our protest in a peaceful manner,” he said.
Earlier, VPP’s Mawlai MLA Brightstarwell Marbaniang said the state government slightly softened its stand on the party’s demand to discuss the reservation policy. Disclosing that the government has invited the VPP to discuss the policy, Marbaniang said Basaiawmoit’s hunger strike will continue as long as the discussion with the government continues.
Earlier, Lyngdoh said that the government has accepted the recommendations of the committee and has been pleased to extend the terms of reference to also include a discussion on the job reservation policy.
“We have also notified that we will extend the strength of this committee and asked political parties to co-opt two more members from individual political parties in trying…to make sure that representation of political parties is also balanced to the furthest extent possible representing the indigenous tribe of the state,” she said.
The committee is scheduled to meet on May 31 at 2:30 pm at the conference room of the Main Secretariat.
Lyngdoh said all political parties have been requested to attend it. She was hopeful that they all would turn up and be able to further discuss matters that are relevant in the interest of the people of the state.
The notification read, “The government of Meghalaya is pleased to re-constitute a committee composed of all political parties for discussing the implementation of the reservation roster system and the reservation policy…”
The terms of reference of the committee are to finalise the implementation of the roster reservation, discuss the reservation policy and submit recommendations to the government within one month.
To ensure fairer representation from all categories, each political party may be represented by two additional members apart from those notified.
“The committee may co-opt any member to take part in the proceedings…if felt necessary,” the notification further read.
