As political parties meet tomorrow to discuss the issue of the job roster system, two leading pressure groups – KSU and FKJGP have urged political leaders to oppose the retrospective implementation of roster system from 1972.
The two organisations today issued separate press statements expressing disapproval of the retrospective implementation of roster system. They also said that implementation of the roster should be prospective from 2022 after the Meghalaya High Court issued the order.
“The emergence of the roster system was on the basis of the High Court order. Unfortunately, the State government while implementing the roster system did it retrospectively to compensate for the loss of government jobs by the Garo community on the ratio of 40:40. This has adversely affected the unemployed Khasi youth as their quota was no longer at 40 per cent but less than that,” KSU general secretary Donald V. Thabah said.
Stating that the ratio of 40:40 for job quota was a disadvantage to the Khasis as they have a bigger population than the Garos, Thabah said that the retrospective implementation of the roster system has deprived the Khasis of their jobs in the State government as they no longer enjoyed the 40 per cent reservation.
“By going for a roster system to compensate the job loss of the Garos right from 1972 is like punishing the job seekers from the Khasi community who have nothing to do with the mistakes committed by the government and who are only seeking their right for employment in the government sector,” the KSU general said.
Urging the State government to revoke the retrospective roster system, Thabah also asked political parties attending tomorrow’s meeting to demand for prospective implementation of the system.
Similarly, the FKJGP in a statement issued by its vice president Kitboklang Nongphlang said that the roster system is a burning issue that has caused worry to unemployed youth and parents alike.
“It is a matter of concern that the State government is implementing the roster system retrospectively from 1972. We therefore urge the MDA government to correct this anomaly by implementing it prospectively from the day that the High Court passed its order and also on the basis of population ratio so that job seekers do not suffer or become victims,” Nongphlang said.
The FKJGP leader also appealed to political parties to press for prospective implementation of the roster system. “All political parties attending the meeting called by the State government tomorrow should shoulder the responsibility in ensuring that the scale is not tilted,” he added.
