SHILLONG:
United Democratic Party (UDP) leader and former deputy chief minister Bindo M Lanong has advised the government to involve the public and get their opinion in regards to reviewing the reservation policy in the state.
Pitching for the involvement of the public while deciding on the policy, Lanong told reporters that the government needs to have a serious look into the policy with a sense of responsibility and realism into it. “I think it may not be bad to circulate to the public and get their opinions also. That is how I feel,” Lanong said.
The UDP leader said the demand to amend reservation policy in the state arose years ago starting with the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU).
He recalled how the KSU was the first organisation which demanded a change in the reservation law, right from early 1970s, in accordance with the population structure.
“Even Captain Williamson A Sangma, the first chief minister of the state felt the need to introduce some amendments and started to take the opinions of the people and he even brought out some initial rough proposals. However, that came to an end after Captain Sangma came out of politics. After that, the matter was just kept in abeyance,” Lanong said.
He said Captain Sangma had faced opposition from some groups on his idea and recalled that he expressed his opinions to his colleagues – PR Kyndiah, BB Lyngdoh and all – that it could be examined kept in abeyance until the matter was discussed thoroughly. “Perhaps time will take its own course. That was Captain Sangma’s idea but he began to think about how to bring some kind of amendment to meet not only the feelings of the people and justice but also to bring together and try to find a peaceful solution,” he said.