Shillong: The Voice of the People’s Party has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the government following the Meghalaya government’s failure to respond to their demand for a special session on the reservation policy and roster system.
During a gathering at the Additional Secretariat in Shillong, VPP president Ardent Basiawmoit said if the government fails to issue a notification to put on hold all government job recruitment processes after they submit their petition today, then they will organise a protest.
The party’s four MLAs: Mawlai MLA Brightstarwell Marbaniang, North Shillong MLA Adelbert Nongrum, Mawryngkneng MLA Heaving Stone Kharpran and Nongkrem MLA Ardent Basiawmoit were all present during the public gathering.
In a conversation with EastMojo, President of VPP Ardent Basiawmoit said they want the government to review the reservation policy and that the party’s move is not against their Garo brothers and sisters. “We just want to ensure that this policy should be reserved proportionately, according to the population structure of the state. We will not take away the rights and we are not asking the government to do away with the reservation policy,” emphasised Basiawmoit.
“We have two main tribes and the government is following reservation policy framed by the government itself. In this policy, there is a problem since it hasn’t been reserved according to the population structure of the people living in the state. We feel if the government is implementing the roster system in the present form and is recruiting and filling posts it will create a lot of problems for the unemployed youths of the state,” mentioned Basiawmoit.
Meanwhile, security was beefed up in the area and gates at the main secretariat were locked and guarded by the police. After negotiation between the VPP leaders with the Magistrate, 15 people were allowed to head towards the secretariat to assist the two VPP leaders who had gone to submit the petition to Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar.
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