Meghalaya TMC MLA Mizanur Rahman Kazi demands 5% reservation for desi muslims

Kazi said that the demand would not affect the share of the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo tribes as far as reservation is concerned

TMC MLA from Rajabala constituency in Meghalaya, Mizanur Rahman Kazi has demanded a 5% job reservation for the Desi Muslims of the plain belt of Garo Hills.

Mizanur Rahman Kazi has submitted a memorandum to the Expert Committee on the State Reservation Policy in this regard today.

It may be mentioned here that the Expert Committee has invited stakeholders, political parties and NGOs of the East Jaintia Hills district to submit their views and suggestions on the proposed amendment of the Meghalaya State Reservation Policy 1972 by June 15, 2024.

Submitting his views to the Committe, Kazi said that the demand would not affect the share of the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo tribes as far as the reservation is concerned.

He also sought Other Backward Class (OBC) status for the so-called Desi Muslims looking at their socio-economic status and other things.

“I would not get into the share of jobs on the reservation that the Garo, Jaintia, and Khasi tribes in the state currently have. I am just asking to identify the Desi Muslims of the plain belt of Garo Hills as OBS class and give them 5% job reservation from the general pool. It would not have an impact on the Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo tribes’ stake in the reservation,” said the MLA.

Citing various historical references about the Muslim Community residing in the plain belt of Garo Hills to back his suggestion he highlighted that the community has a history dating back to as early as 1600 AD. They are not a migrant from anywhere. They have lived there since the place’s formation, long before Meghalaya was formed and even during the Mughal era.

Earlier, the Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) in Meghalaya has suggested 80% job reservation for the Khasi-Jaintia and Garo communities based on merit.

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