SHILLONG:
National People’s Party (NPP) leader and deputy chief minister Sniawbhalang Dhar has said issues should be resolved across the table and not on the streets.
“We have issues but to relsolve the issues, it should not be on the streets but always across the table,” Dhar said.
His statement came after the opposition Voice of the People Party (VPP) chief Ardent M Basaiawmoit rejected the request of the government for talks and decided to continue with his indefinite hunger strike demanding review of the 1972 job reservation policy.
Dhar said that Basaiawmoit has failed to attend the meeting convened by the chief minister with all political parties.”If he (Basaiawmoit) was there (in that meeting) he could have shared his views on the matter,” he added.
When asked, the deputy chief minister said that the government had requested the VPP chief to call off his hunger protest and come forward for talks but he has refused. “We will take a call on this when the chief minister is back in station,” he said.
On the VPP chief’s demand to review the reservation policy as per population structure of the state, Dhar said, “That is his (Basaiawmoit) opinion but government will decide what is in the best interest of the people and the state.”
On the other hand, the NPP leader said that the VPP has only four MLAs and are talking about this issue while the 56 other legislators understand the critical point of it. He further observed that even the other opposition parties are not supporting Basaiawmoit on this issue.
“Even the other opposition parties are not supporting Basaiawmoit. Therefore, I think we should discuss it properly, nicely in such a manner,” he said while adding, “First of all protection of the people of the state is very important and government will look into it in that direction only.” Dhar added.
Asked if according to him the opposition political parties are divided on the issue, the NPP leader however said, “I don’t say that but they know what is right and what is wrong as they are all legislators.They are all highly educated, they know what is right and what is wrong.”
The Opposition VPP chief Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit had maintained that the party will withdraw the indefinite hunger strike only if the government is ready to review the 1972 job reservation policy. The stand was made clear before the cabinet minister and MDA government spokesperson Ampareen Lyngdoh, who visited him at the protest venue on Friday.
Basaiawmoit, who has been fasting for the past six days, also refused to accept the government’s decision to include him as one of the members of the Ampareen Lyngdoh-led committee of all political parties constituted to discuss implementation of the reservation roster system. “If the government is still adamant, we will continue with our indefinite hunger strike. I have said we will not leave this place until the government decides to review the present job reservation policy,” the VPP chief had stated. According to him, the party has also made it very clear that the ratio in terms of the reservation should be proportionate as per the population structure of the state.
When asked, Basaiawmoit had asserted, “Inside the House, I had stressed that the government may constitute an expert committee to deal with this issue. As we have made it very clear that this policy should have been proportionate as far as the ratio of this policy is concerned, it is for the government to decide.”, who has been fasting for the past six days, also refused to accept the government’s decision to include him as one of the members of the Ampareen Lyngdoh-led committee of all political parties constituted to discuss implementation of the reservation roster system. “If the government is still adamant, we will continue with our indefinite hunger strike. I have said we will not leave this place until the government decides to review the present job reservation policy,” the VPP chief had stated. According to him, the party has also made it very clear that the ratio in terms of the reservation should be proportionate as per the population structure of the state.
When asked, Basaiawmoit had asserted, “Inside the House, I had stressed that the government may constitute an expert committee to deal with this issue. As we have made it very clear that this policy should have been proportionate as far as the ratio of this policy is concerned, it is for the government to decide.”