The Conrad Sangma government in Meghalaya is pressurized by the embryonic protests. Held by the opposition party for setting up a panel. To review the reservation policy in the state. The Voice of People party’s president called in for a hunger strike. Against the present reservation scheme and called it “unfair” for the Khasi community.
What’s the reservation distribution in Meghalaya There are two dominant communities in the Meghalaya state. The Garos and the Khasi community. Both the ethnic communities enjoy 40% reservation each in job quota. The third most prominent ethnic community is the Jaintias. But the Jaintias community along with other small communities like wars, Bhois and Lyngngams are counted in the Khasi community.
So, the president of VPP Ardent Bassaiawmoit stated that “This is very biassed for the khasi community as they are higher in numbers in terms of population. And the reservation in job quotas should be proportional to the population structure of the state” . According to the census 2011 , The Khasi and Jaintias sum up to 14.1 lakh population in the state. Whereas the Garos community who enjoys the same amount of reservation as the Khasi have 8.21 lakh population. Which is very less compared to the Khasi community.
What did the Government Do?
On Wednesday a meeting was scheduled and headed by Ampareen Lyngdoh for the same in which the health minister stated that” this is a sensitive issue and this board is not competent enough to discuss all these matters. We have asked all the political parties for opinion, cancellation, omission etc.”
Furthermore ,On Thursday Morning the Meghalaya government issued an authorised order of forming a board consisting expert members on sociology, constitutional law, demography, economics, and associated fields. The opposition Party Expects the result in a prompt time frame otherwise the VVP has decided to continue the prolonged hunger strike which has gained a mass attraction across the state.
Lastly the VVP boldly mentioned that they are not against any community but they stand with a code of equality and fraternity.