Staff Reporter
SHILLONG:
Hills State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) president KP Pangniang has said that having separate Garoland and Khasi-Jaintia states will solve the problems arising out of the reservation policy
Speaking to reporters on November 8, he said, “The reservation policy cannot be settled, having a Khasi-Jaintia state will solve the issue of reservation policy once and for all.”
The Meghalaya reservation policy provides reservation of 40 per cent of the vacancies in favour of the Khasi-Jaintia and 40 per cent for the Garos.
The party will also meet with the leaders of Garoland State Movement Committee (GSMC) and from other Northeastern states in December to chalk out protest plans.
He said, “We extended our support to the march for Garoland on October 29 at Tura. We will again meet in December along with other leaders from the North East as well as with the leaders of National Federation of New States and plan to stage a protest in front of the Parliament.”
It may be mentioned that hundreds of supporters of Garoland marched in unison with leaders of the National Federation for New States at Tura on October 29 to extend support and solidarity for the demand of the Garo people in which organisation demanding separate Gorkhaland was also present.
The HSPDP has been rallying for a separate Khasi-Jaintia state under Article 371.
The party also said that there is a need to amend Para 12A (b) of the Sixth Schedule of Indian Constitution and to have the word ‘President’ replaced by ‘Governor’.
Para 12 A relates to the application of Acts of Parliament and of the Legislature of the state of Meghalaya to autonomous districts and autonomous regions in the State of Meghalaya.
Para 12 A (b) states: the President may, with respect to any Act of Parliament, by notification, direct that it shall not apply to an autonomous district or an autonomous region in the State of Meghalaya, or shall apply to such district or region or any part thereof subject to such exceptions or modifications as he may specify in the notification and any such direction may be given so as to have retrospective effect.
Pangniang said, “There is a need to amend Para 12 A (b) and replace the word president with governor.”