Editor,
The State Reservation Policy has recently drawn everyone’s attention, and it appears that all interested parties will need to work together to find a cooperative solution. Since the beginning of the state, the Hon’ble High Court had stated that a Roster System was necessary, but it has never been implemented. But once more, some writers have claimed that only the Garo community benefit, which is completely false and lacks any supporting evidence. So, I advise them to file an RTI with the MPSC and check the number of positions advertised and appointments made per category from 1990 to the present. Then, it will be obvious who has benefited the most. Even the General Category is being occupied by just one particular community, and we don’t see any non-tribals getting jobs in that particular category.
The Reservation Policy more specifically clause 2 had been an open gate for so many years in favour of our Khasi-Jaintia brethren as many has been inducted in place of Garos and because of this aforesaid clause many Garo aspirants since the inception of the statehood were deprived of their rights. If the Roster System was in place, the imbalance which is apparent in this present day would not have reached the peak and the bitterness in respect of the Roster System would not have arisen. The real question is who has been deprived since the inception of statehood, the answer to that question is apparent “The Garos”.
The columnist Prof. Lakhon Kma in his recent newspaper article talks about the Office Memorandum dated 10th May, 2022 implying that the said Office Memorandum is design with malafide intention to benefit the Garo community retrospectively, but failed to appreciate that from the inception of statehood our Khasi-Jaintia brethren were the ones who has been benefitting before the Roster System came into picture. One may say how? It is evident if one visits all the departments in the State of Meghalaya who are holding the most number of posts and higher posts per se.
To make the argument more specific the Shillong capital itself has many circles arising out of a particular Department and one could imagine who is holding the maximum post (Khasi-Jaintia) not including offices in districts and sub-divisions, whereas the other parts of State one can find only maximum two or three circles where Garos are employed. From 1972 till date what the Garos have is just the mere 40 per cent job reservation in hand and that too is not followed strictly there were malpractices but it was only because the Hon’ble High Court had intervened the deplorable state of affairs was highlighted. The Garos have been demanding for a second capital/winter capital but till date we have not yet got the demands.
Prof. Lakhon Kma, you talk about being equal but the reality tells otherwise. Being equal means the Garo community in Garo Hills should have an equal number of head offices and a second capital although this demand has not been met. Instead in the year 2005 just for shifting of MBOSE office there was a lot of agitation in Shillong by different NGOs. Sir, you talk about equality but are we really equal or at par with Shillong. Sir, anyone can write anything while seated in their cozy air-conditioned rooms in Shillong, without ever setting foot in the actual Garo Hills, where we are actually located. Sir, if you genuinely care about the Khasi-Jaintia community and the Garo community, please write and support our sincere request for a second capital in Tura.
I think that respected Prof. Lakhon Kma has failed to look into one aspect that Reservation Policy is not based on population, it’s based on the backwardness of a particular community as mentioned in the Kaka Kalelkar Commission (1953) and Mandal Commission (1980). If the matter comes to the Supreme Court we all know that it will be struck down to 50 per cent for the whole Scheduled Tribe. So questioning the wisdom of our predecessors is disrespect to those who have fought for the creation of a State and that because of their wisdom we are able to get ample amount of reservation till date and that it was because of their farsightedness.
Therefore, Sir you are enjoying all the benefits of being in a capital unlike us from Garo Hills who have to come down to Shillong for even petty office work or other related works. Therefore Sir, let us not blame each other since anyone can make tall claims and write whatever they want to but at this moment all the intellectual people suggest the way forward for all round development and peace.
Sengchira Rangsa Marak,
Adokgre, North Garo Hills.
