SHILLONG:
The demand for a review of the state reservation policy has grown louder with social organisations from Jaintia Hills region extending their support to the movement led by Voice of the People Party (VPP) that sought for a balanced and just policy, with equal allocation of percentage for all the three major tribes of Meghalaya in the reservation policy.
The Jaiñtia Coordination Committee for Reservation Policy (JCCRP) organised a sit-in-demonstration in Khliehriat, East Jaintia Hills on May 31, demanding a review of the policy based on the population.
The committee comprises of the Synjuk Waheh Chnong Jowai, Synjuk Waheh Chnong Ri Jaiñtia, pressure groups – Jaiñtia Student Union (JSU), Jaiñtia Youth Federation (JYF), Jaiñtia Student Movement (JSM), East Jaiñtia National Council (EJNC).
Speaking to The Meghalayan, JYF president CB Ombormi Tariang said that their top most agenda of holding this protest was to demand for a review of the policy and the prospective implementation of the roster system.
Similarly, leader of the EJNC, Sambormi Lyngdoh mentioned that the government should look at the population of the three major tribes and draw the conclusion accordingly.
“We have three district councils – Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council, Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council and Garo Hills Autonomous District Council. If you combine the KHADC and JHADC, the population is more than the GHADC; hence, the government should consider this and review the reservation policy,” he said.
When asked about the demand made by Synjuk Waheh Chnong for a 20 per cent separate reservation for the Jaintias, the two leaders refused to comment, though they vaguely subscribed to the idea but maintained that the same can be discussed post review of the policy.
Earlier, the Synjuk Ki Waheh Chnong (headmen union) has demanded 20 per cent reservation separately for the Jaintia Community of the state.
According to the Synjuk, all these years, the Jaintias had to compete for the 40 percent share for Khasi-Jaintia, adding that their demand for a separate allocation of 20 per cent for the Jaintia is justifiable.