The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Meghalaya has formed an internal committee to study the controversial roster system to administer the state government’s job reservation policy.
Cabinet minister and Pynthorumkhrah legislator AL Hek today informed reporters that he had personally met Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma over this and other issues.
The whole controversy over the roster system is whether it should be implemented prospectively or retrospectively, with those organisations based in Khasi-Jaintia Hills largely favouring the former and those in Garo Hills largely supporting the latter.
Personally, Hek said that implementation of the roster system should be done prospectively and if there is a need to review the reservation policy, a proper discussion should be held and everyone should be taken onboard.
The policy reserves 40 per cent of government jobs for Garos and another 40 per cent for Khasi-Jaintias despite the latter significantly outnumbering the former.
A state BJP committee has been constituted to study the matter, with former Mawsynram MLA Himalaya Shangpliang the convener. The other members comprise Hek, South Shillong MLA Sanbor Shullai, party president Ernest Mawrie, party spokesperson Mariahom Kharkrang, two representatives from Garo Hills in Edmund K Sangma and Ferlin CA Sangma and legal advisers VG Kynta and SP Mahanta.
Meanwhile, United Democratic Party (UDP) president Metbah Lyngdoh said that he had raised the matter of the roster system with the CM on the first day the latter assumed office for a second term.
Describing the roster system as a “sensitive” issue more than once, Lyngdoh said that discussions should be in the interest of all communities in the state.
“On his (CM’s) first day in office, I met him personally and I discussed with him with regards to the issue of the reservation policy and the roster system,” Lyngdoh told reporters. “I have placed before him this very sensitive issue which needs to be discussed in detail for the interest of the people of all communities in the state and the approach has to be in a very harmonious and peaceful manner.”
He described Sangma’s response to the party’s concerns as “very positive”.
