Our Bureau
SHILLONG/TURA, June 10: Amid growing dissension to the review of the State Reservation Policy, two groups have shot off letters to the Expert Committee, demanding status quo and airing opposition to any move to review the policy.
In a letter to the Secretary of the Expert Committee, LK Diengdoh, the Achik Citizens Welfare Organisation from Shillong called for status quo on the State Reservation Policy, while contending that any review of or alteration to the existing Reservation Policy will bring injustice upon the Garo community.
It said that when it comes to the state’s employment policy, Garos are grossly underrepresented almost in all the departments and in every recruitment to the posts recommended by the MPSC.
Giving details, the organisation said that the total number of state government employees as on March 31, 2022, was 56,790, out of which 35,031 employees were Khasi-Jaintia as against 19,874 Garo employees.
Referring to the latest recruitment to the post of JDA under the Directorate of Accounts and Treasuries and Assistant Audit Officer, the organisation argued that people from the Garo community were being underrepresented.
“Such irregularities on the part of the department and MPSC are glaring,” the letter said, lamenting that even after more than 50 years of statehood, the provision of equal job opportunities is yet to come to pass.
Meanwhile, the Tura Garo Senior Citizens Forum has expressed opposition to any alteration to and change in the existing reservation policy.
In a letter to secretary of the Expert Committee, LK Diengdoh, the Forum said, “The TGSCF, as a forum, put forth this appeal on the basis of historical, sociological and economical backwardness of the Garos. The existing reservation policy of 40% each for Khasi-Jaintia and Garos was taken in an agreement among the leaders who fought for statehood and to keep unity and integrity among the two major tribes of Meghalaya.”
Pointing out that the state reservation policy was formulated by the founding and visionary leaders who framed the same with an understanding of the socio-cultural and economic landscape of the state with an aim to uplift the marginalised sections of society, the Forum maintained that it will oppose modification to the existing reservation policy.