VPP flays govt request on job quota policy

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, July 13: The Voice of the People Party (VPP) on Thursday said the request of the chairperson of the political party committee to submit their suggestions and recommendations on the reservation policy was illogical and that the chief minister would clarify it soon. “We feel the request of the committee is illogical because the government decided to review the reservation policy after we demanded the constitution of an expert committee. It is the job of this committee to work out how to review and I do not think it is right to ask the political parties,” VPP president and Nongkrem MLA, Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit said after meeting the CM on the status of the expert committee on the quota policy. Ampareen Lyngdoh, the chairperson of the committee of political parties on the reservation roster said the formation of the expert committee was hanging fire with none of the political parties submitting their views, suggestions, and recommendations on the reservation policy, based on which the members of the expert committee would be appointed. “We have made our stand clear: review the reservation policy and constitute an expert committee. We have also given an indication that the 80% (quota) between the Khasis and Garos should be proportionate according to the population structure,” Basaiawmoit said. “We also raised the issue with the chief minister as we expect that the expert committee should start working on how to review. The CM assured us that he will clarify this in front of the media,” he added. He said the expert committee is expected to work on the review of the reservation policy and put the plan in the public domain for more suggestions to be accommodated. “The chief minister assured us that the government will soon announce the expert committee after selecting the chairperson. He said the process may take two to three weeks’ time,” Basaiawmoit said. He said the VPP would have no issues if people from outside are also made members of the expert committee. On the pressure groups in the Garo Hills demanding the retrospective implementation of the roster system, he said: “Everyone has the right to protest in a democratic state. We have nothing to say.” Basaiawmoit further said that they raised the issue of load-shedding, the imposition of Section 144 of the CrPC, farmers’ issues and the odd-even order of the district administration. Expert committee The state government is waiting for some more names to select the chairperson of the expert committee which will look into the matter of reviewing the Meghalaya State Reservation Policy of 1972, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said on Thursday. “We feel that the list should be broader; so we are waiting for around 3-5 names which the government can examine. Once we get the names for the chairperson we will place it before the Cabinet for finalisation,” he said. The state government has received multiple names for appointment as members of the expert committee, he added.