Shillong, Feb 27: Assembly Speaker Thomas Sangma on Thursday ruled in favour of the usage of Khasi-Jaintia instead of using Khasi alone.
The order was after Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar raised a point of order against VPP leader Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit’s reference to Khasi alone during the February 25 debate on the Expert Committee’s report on the State Reservation Policy.
However, the Speaker ruled that the official record must retain the terms Khasi and Jaintia.
“I am raising the point of order on the speech made by the member from Nongkrem, the member referred to the term Khasi and not inclusive of Jaintia. As we all know, as per the reservation policy, it is specifically reserved for Khasi and Jaintia,” Dhar said.
He wanted the Speaker to put on record that the official classification must always be used.
However. Basaiawmoit defended his statement in the Assembly. “I would expect the deputy chief minister to be mature enough to understand when I say the Khasis, I know who the Khasis are… I always use the word Khasis because I want to unify the sub-tribes… we are one as a community, and we are one as a tribe,” he said.
According to Basaiawmoit, he saw no ill intention and did not expect a minister to raise it in the House.
Echoing Dhar, health minister Wailadmiki Shylla noted that the 1972 notification clearly mentions Khasi and Jaintia.
“We are not here to point fingers… whatever is discussed will stay in the record… we just want to set the record straight, we do not want to divide,” he said.
Basaiawmoit reiterated that he used Khasi deliberately to prevent outside forces from dividing the community.
In his ruling, the Speaker said, “As per record, it is always referred to as Khasi and Jaintia, so I put the record straight.”
