Pressure groups demand job quota policy revamp
Better to have Garoland if reservation issue remains unresolved: HYC chief
Shillong, Nov 3: The leaders of the five pressure groups who met Deputy Chief Minister on Thursday demanded that the state government review and revamp the job reservation policy.
“We demand for complete reviewing and revamping of the state reservation policy. It is high time that the state government take a call on the matter,” Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) president Robertjune Kharjahrin told reporters after the meeting.
He said HYC along with other four pressure groups — HANM, EJNC, JSM and CoRP — felt that if the issue could not be settled, it would be better to bifurcate the state.
Kharjahrin was categorical when he said that there should be a Garoland and a Hynniewtrep land if the issue was not solved as both tribes were victims.
Stating that they were not trying to be communal, Kharjahrin said, “It is the truth how a tribe of 15-16 lakhs can have the same percentage with a tribe of only 8-9 lakhs? Is there any logic behind it?”
He alleged that the Khasi-Jaintia people have become victims of the reservation policy because of the roster system which seeks to fill up the backlogs of the past 50 years.
“After 50 years, the reservation policy needs to be reviewed. (Otherwise) why should we still feel that living together needs to be accepted when that policy is all out against us? Who will see the suffering of our youth because of joblessness? Who will comfort the parents who spend lakhs of money and at the end of the day their children do not get jobs because the reservation policy is biased,” he added.
To a query, Kharjahrin said though a roster system is needed, it should not go to an extent where an entire generation would suffer.
He suggested that the issue should be given priority in the 2023 election manifesto and the five groups “are ready to give suggestions at any time the government decides to review the reservation policy”.
On whether they would move the court, he said, “It is the last option because why should we go to court when we can get the executive whom we elected to do it.”