TURA:
The Garo Students’ Union (GSU), on April 10, warned against changes to the State Reservation Policy, stating that any such attempts will be taken “very seriously” by the people of Garo Hills.
“The discussion on the roster system regarding the “retrospective” and “prospective” nature of implementation is fair to be discussed upon, but it must not be an implicated platform to denature the wisdom of the founding fathers of Meghalaya by any attempt to dilute the Meghalaya Reservation Policy, 1972,” a release issued by GSU on Monday read.
Referring to the controversial clause in the reservation policy – clause No. 1.2 that states that “… After the expiry of the second year, these reservations shall be treated as lapsed…”, the GSU said, “it is because of the absence of the roster system that these clauses have been trampled upon year after year.”
Lauding the implementation of the the roster system by the MDA I government, in line with the high court order last year, GSU said, “We welcome the Meghalaya High Court’s decision because a roster system is necessary to adhere to the letter and spirit of the Meghalaya Job Reservation Policy, 1972.”
Claiming that Garos lack quality education due to the absence of good educational institutions, the GSU said that the Meghalaya Reservation Policy, 1972 is a necessity which must be “preserved for the equal benefits of the educationally disadvantaged communities of the state.”
Opposing the idea made by Voice of the People Party (VPP) that policy must be based on population demographics, and must form the basis for sharing of the recruitment opportunity, the student body said that these are not the only factors that must be considered but also lack of education, quality educational institutions, which the according to them, the Garo Hills region lacks.
“Let us be at par in every aspect as brethren or let us either discuss the possibility of Winter Capital or Separate State if only one of our existing rights to equal sharing of opportunities is hindered. We stand no chance without the reservation policy for equal representation,” the GSU said.