Tura, May 31: The New Tura Development Forum (NTDF) on Friday expressed opposition towards any review or modification of the existing state Job Reservation Policy and has urged that the state government maintain the status quo.
The opposition comes following the constitution of an Expert Committee on the policy. In its letter to L K Diengdoh, the Secretary of the newly formed expert committee, the forum on behalf of the entire Garo Community put forth its suggestions, and justifications why the existing policy should not be reviewed.
“We are not seeking modification in the existing Reservation Policy because the policy as per as the reservation is concerned, was enacted by the Visionary Leaders and Founding Fathers of our State Meghalaya taking into account the socio-economic conditions of the Khasi-Jaintia tribe and the Garo tribe of the State which formed more than 80% of the total population during the creation of the State and the State had been carved out of Assam for the benefits of mainly these communities,” the forum said, in its letter.
The forum pointed out that the Reservation Policy was enacted not on the basis of population or geographic segmentations of the State but on the basis of backwardness of the communities of the State, specially the Garos who were very backward during the material period.
“We have earlier conveyed our opposition to move for reviewing and modification of the State Reservation Policy individually and jointly with other NGOs, viz., Tura Garo Senior Citizens Forum, Garo Graduate Union, etc. on raking up of the Policy time and again to take further away the quota share of the Garos,” the forum said, while adding although the stakeholders have been availing themselves of the benefits of the State Reservation Policy they are being deprived of the full share of the quota.
Meanwhile, the Chisim Mahari Association from Tura has also opposed any kind of review or modification of the State Job Reservation Policy. The Executive Committee of the mahari association on May 30 held an emergent meeting in Tura where they unanimously resolved that status quo should be maintained and any kind of review to the existing policy be done away with.
Another group from Williamnagar-the Niksamso Garo Community Organization (NGCO) also raised concern over the possible review of the quotas policy.
The organization in a statement sought that status quo be maintained and that the existing quota of 40% for Khasi-Jaintia and Garo not be changed.