The Voice of the People Party (VPP) has said it was ready for a “one-on-one debate” with NPP State president and Rajya Sabha MP Dr. Wanwei Roy Kharlukhi on the job reservation policy. It also said the debate should be conducted by an independent institution.
It may be mentioned that Kharlukhi has recently accused the VPP of playing political games by raising the issue of job reservation. Stating that reservation policy should not be as per population ratio, he also said that he was ready for a debate on the matter.
“The VPP expresses its appreciation for the acceptance of the State president of the NPP to the challenge of our party to prove that the demand for the reworking on the ratio of reservation as per the population structure is illogical and wrong,” the party said in a statement issued today.
Appealing to a neutral institution or agency to organise the debate, the VPP said that its spokesperson Dr. Batskhem Myrboh was ready for the debate with Dr. Kharlukhi.
“It is highly appreciative if the debate can be organised at the earliest,” the VPP said.
Meanwhile, VPP president Ardent M. Basaiawmoit today said that the earlier refusal by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to discuss the reservation issue and roster system has now been proved wrong.
Addressing the crowd at the venue of his fast near the Additional Secretariat here, Basaiawmoit said the same government that earlier said that the issue raised by the VPP cannot be discussed has now changed its stand.
“In the past Sangma said that the government can’t discuss the issue and if anybody wants to raise the issue he should go to court. Later, the court left it to the Assembly and State government to decide. Recently, the government called the meeting of political parties to discuss the issue. This clearly shows that the chief minister has accepted that this issue can be discussed,” Basaiawmoit said.
Maintaining that he would not end his fast until the reservation policy is discussed and reviewed by the government, the VPP president said that the party’s fight on the issue has earned the support of the majority of people.
“I will not leave this place (fast venue) until the government solves this problem. This fight is for our young people, our job seekers. It’s for their right,” Basaiawmoit said.
