Cut off year for roster system should not be 1972: HNYM

Pushing ahead its demand for a review of the Reservation Policy and also moving ahead with the implementation of the roster system, the Hynniewtrep National Youth Movement (HNYM) has demanded that Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma calls for a special session of the State Assembly.

Speaking to media persons today, HNYM President Louis Dohtdong said that they are not against the roster system but it should either be implemented prospectively from the date of the notifying the office memorandum (MO) or it is up to the wisdom of the government with regard to the cut-off year but it should not be from 1972.

Dohtdong expressed concern about the continuous pressure from the Garo Hills region to continue with the implementation of the roster system from the year 1972 and alleged that this is purely biased towards the Garo community.

“We want to make it clear that we are not against the roster system but we are against the cut-off year hence we demand from the Chief Minister to convene a Special Session to review the Reservation policy and on how to go ahead with the roster system,” said Dohtdong.

Dohtdong said that the HNYM also demands from the state government to review and freshly implement the reservation policy as per population as the Khasi-Jaintia community is more when compared to the Garo community.

While condemning the A•chik Conscious Holistic Integrated Krima (ACHIK) for demanding that the cut-off year for the implementation of the Roster System to be 1972, Dohtdong alleged that the Garo Hills-based social organisation is being greedy.

He added that the Garos communities are the ones who have benefited from the reservation policy that allocates 40 per cent for the Khasi-Jaintia category and 40 per cent for Garos.

“The HNYM is ready to come to the streets if the state government continues to implement the roster system from 1972 as this cut-off year is unfair to the Khasi-Jaintia community” he added.

UDP urges Centre to discourage radical elements

The United Democratic Party (UDP) has urged the Centre to discourage radical elements who are trying to vitiate the atmosphere of hatred and animosity.

“We urged upon the Govt of the day to come up with strong measures to discourage radical elements to vitiate the atmosphere of hatred and animosity. Respect towards all religions should be maintained at all cost” UDP general secretary Jemino Mawthoh said in a statement.

He said the party expressed apprehension over the news item that two prominent church leaders from the state were being manhandled. “If the report is true, then it should be condemned strongly. India being a secular country, any form of discrimination and atrocities perpetrated by radical elements of any religious groups should not be tolerated,” Mawthoh added.

Meghalaya polls 2023: NPP leading in 23 seats

Shillong, March 2 (IANS) Conrad Sangma’s National People’s Party (NPP) is maintaining a lead in 23 seats as the counting of votes got underway on Thursday for the February 27 Meghalaya Assembly polls.

Compared to the two seats they won in the 2018 elections, the BJP is ahead in almost 10 seats, according to the early trends in counting.

While the Trinamool Congress is leading in 10 seats, the Congress party, which was the single largest party in Meghalaya in the last Assembly election, is trailing. The grand-old party is leading in only nine seats.

LIVE UPDATES: Meghalaya Assembly Election Results 2023

The other regional party, the United Democratic Party (UDP), has been projected to win six seats.

Notably, UDP was a part of the NPP-led government in Meghalaya for the last five years, although the party has not forged an alliance with the NPP and fought the election separately.