VPP reiterates stand on Roster system; bats for 2021-22 as base year, demands review of Reservation Policy

The Voice of People’s Party in Meghalaya has reaffirmed its stand on the Roster system and reitrated that the base year of the implementation must be 2021 or 2022 and not 1972.

Speaking to Northeast Live, VPP spokesperson Batskhem Marboh said,” The contention has been that the Government of Meghalaya, they implemented the Roster System with the prospective effect from 1972, the year in which the state of Meghalaya came into existence. Our contention is that the prospective implementation has in really affected and it is affecting the youth from the Khasi Jaintia community.”

“But it should be applied with prospective effect, i.e. from 2021 or 2022 not from 1972. That is the main contention,” Marboh added.

The VPP spokesperson also batted for putting on hold the implementation of the Roster system. In this regard he said,”our stand is we should put on hold the implementation of the Roster system and the recruitment by various bodies and the state during the pendency of the review of the Reservation policy. We link this implementation of the Roster system together with the view of the Reservation Policy.”

According to the VPP leader, there is a need for review of the Reservation Policy since his party believes that it does not stand at par with the state’s population structure.

Batskhem Marboh said,”Our stand is this Reservation Policy needs to be reviewed because it does not reflect the population structure of the state because when we look at the population, the Khasi Jaintia community, they constitute about 47% of the state’s population, whereas the Garo community constitutes about 31-32%. So when You look at the Reservation it is 40-40. Moreover, this reservation policy needs rexamination by the expert committee. Becasuse as of now it is not inclusive for the differently abled people.”

“It must be reviewed by the expert committee taking into account the need of the state,” he added.

Meanwhile, the VPP leader also attacked the MDA government on the issue, especially when he was asked about the party’s demand to the govt holding a special assembly session to discuss the matter.

Batskhem Marboh said,”When You talk about the response of the govt, during the Budget Session our president-an MLA from Nongkrem, he raised the issue of the Roster System and the education policy in the Assembly, there was a blunt answer that we saw the Chief Minister gave us “You go to the Court.” But, luckily a few days after the Meghalaya HC came up with a order saying that when to implement the Roster System, it depends on the Legislature and the Executive. Therefore when you read the mind of the govt, they want to escape this issue as much as possible.”

However, Marboh sees that the government is gradually succumbing to pressure as far as the Roster system is concerened and feels that the efforts of VPP is bearing fruits.

He said,”But now after we raised the issue inside and outside the Assembly, when we went to the people, to make them conscious and also to seek their support in the movement, we see that the govt, the mins gave statement saying that the govt will have discussion within the cabinet, holding talks with the MDA partners and after that they will convene the all party meeting.

We can see that the effort of the VPP is bearing fruits but we have to put in more pressure.”