SHILLONG:
Contrary to strong demands by other Khasi-Jaintia Hills-based groups for a review of the State Reservation Policy, the Federation of Khasi, Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP), on April 10, said the percentage allocated to the Khasi-Jaintia and Garo categories should not be touched, “lest we lose out on the 80 per cent meant for the tribals and the percentage is reduced to 50 per cent.”
“How will you review the reservation policy? As per the central law, no community can exceed 50 per cent. We are in fact fortunate that 80 per cent was allocated to the tribals of Meghalaya. Let it stay that way; don’t make any changes lest we lose out on that 80 per cent.” FKJGP president Dundee C Khongsit told media persons on April 10.
Stating that after the high court issued the order last year, directing the state government to implement the roster system from the time the reservation policy came into effect, Khongsit said, “As a union, we did not sit idle. We met the chairman of the Meghalaya Public Service Commission (MPSC) to get more clarity on the issue.”
He said that as per their conversation with government officials, they were informed that certain adjustments had to be made in the past to fill up the vacant posts due to lack of eligible candidates from the other category.
Commenting on the “retrospective” nature of the roster, FKJGP echoed similar views as raised by other social organisations and said, “What was needed to be done in the past was done. We don’t need to look back because it will be a challenge for the government and even the public.”
The FKJGP president has pinned his hopes on the legislators to take up the issue, discuss it at length and ensure that it doesn’t affect the bonding and kinship between the three major tribes of Meghalaya. “They need to come to an understanding about the prospective nature of the roster,” he added.
