SHILLONG:
State vice-president of the opposition All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) George Lyngdoh has warned of misunderstanding among the three major tribes – Khasi, Jaintia and Garo – if the issue of state reservation policy is not handled with care and sensitivity pointing out that it relates to the aspirations and the future of the youth.
The fabric of historic bond and understanding among the various communities in the state could be torn asunder in the event of any false step while addressing the issue, Lyngdoh said.
“Therefore, the policymakers and the leaders have to take into consideration the sentiments, emotions and historic aspects as well as the need to maintain communal peace and harmony amongst the three tribes,” the former MLA of Umroi said.
Lyngdoh also questioned the state government’s decision to implement the roster system with retrospective effect.
According to him, the court’s ruling was unclear and the state government in its interpretation took the decision to implement the system with retrospective effect.
Pointed out that the court had clearly stated that these are policy matters best left to the legislature and the executive, the AITC leader said, “So the question is whether the state government hurriedly rushed into the implementation of the roster without understanding the full implication of the court order. So whether that urgency was actually needed before the full understanding of the court order was actually imbibed by the policymakers both at the executive and the legislative level,” he said.
He alleged that some of the cabinet ministers do not even understand what a roster system is. “So now they have put themselves in a spot where now they not only have to understand the roster system, they also have to understand the retrospective and prospective effect,” he said.
On the Voice of the People Party (VPP)’s demand to review the entire policy, Lyngdoh said they should also offer suggestions as to what they want adding that anybody can question a policy that is in place but the fact is it is upon the responsible leaders to suggest what should be the next step forward.
“I would say that various political parties should come up with their own suggestions as well so that it is the collective responsibility of each and every political party and leaders and in fact every citizens of the state if any policy is being questioned then we should also come with solutions as to how we will finally decide on a new policy or try to change an existing policy but at the same time maintain communal harmony and equity,” he added.