State Reservation Policy: Blunder of 50 yrs cannot be solved in days

United Democratic Party leader and cabinet minister Paul Lyngdoh today said a solution to a blunder committed in regard to the state reservation policy for the past 50 years cannot come in a matter of five days.

“It is also a fact that a blunder was committed 50 years ago so how do you resolve that? It is more difficult because it is an issue that has been festering for half a century so a solution will not come in five days. A blunder that has been perpetuated for 50 years cannot be resolved in five days in five weeks or even five months but let it be resolved bit by bit,” Lyngdoh told reporters.

The West Shillong legislator said, “Why are you saying that it is not a blunder. There are a lot of errors in the entire policy. For instance, giving space of two-three years for a post to be filled up means you are undermining, and compromising the quality of the administration. Now if an office has to have 12 staff members and because you have to wait for two years it means that the office is running short of staff for 2-3 years – that itself is a blunder.”

Admitting the danger if the reservation policy is being challenged, he said, “It is (dangerous) as there are a lot of intricacies involved,” while cautioning everyone that “we should not end up shooting ourselves in our leg, let us not inflict self-wounds.”

On the implementation of the roster system, Lyngdoh, who is also a spokesperson of the MDA government, informed that the MDA is going to meet at the end of this week or early next week to discuss this matter.

“The matter is also coming up before the cabinet and an All-party meet is also being called. So at these different platforms, we will get an exchange of views and I am sure the best of views will come forward,” he asserted.

Referring to the concerns expressed if the roster system is implemented retrospectively, Lyngdoh said, “That is a very valid concern so accordingly I will put my views across in the Cabinet that if at all  it has to be done it can be done only prospectively one, two you can take the matter up to the Supreme Court, three, the State Assembly has the option of legislation – so which of these options or which combination of these options will work best that is entirely up to the House and the Cabinet to decide.”

“Therefore, let it come up before the cabinet. Let a cabinet memo be prepared. I will study the memo and articulate my point of view in the cabinet but first let the cabinet memo be put up,” he stated.

On the other hand, Lyngdoh reminded that the UDP had in fact listed as number one on its manifesto a change of the reservation policy and said, “We fielded 46 candidates and only 11 of us won. Even if you only think of the Khasi-Jaintia sector, we won 11 out of 36, minus the 10 we fielded in the Garo Hills, so it means that the majority of the constituencies are not interested in any change of the reservation policy.”

He said it also means that 25 constituencies did not favour a change of the reservation policy adding “Even if you combine UDP 11 plus VPP 4 that will still make it 15 and 15 out of 36 is still not a majority.”

Rongali Bihu celebrated with traditional fervour and enthusiasm in NE

Braving the rising temperatures across the northeastern states, people in the region on Saturday celebrated Rongali Bihu and Poila Boishakh with rituals, traditional fervour and enthusiasm.

Lakhs of people including women and children in traditional and new attires took part in the celebrations, especially in the states of Assam and Tripura.

Most parts of the northeast region of India are currently witnessing heatwave-like conditions badly affecting normal life with maximum temperatures in many places hovering between 36 to 40 degrees Celsius, which is above the normal by 5 to 6 degrees.

Rongali or Bohag Bihu is the most important festival in Assam as it marks the beginning of the Assamese New Year.

The two other Bihus — Kongali or Kati and Bhogali or Magh — are observed in January and October, respectively.

In a historic development, around 11,300 Bihu performers scripted history on Thursday as it entered the Guinness Book of World Records with the largest Bihu performance at a single venue at Guwahati’s Sarusajai stadium.

“The record-breaking Bihu performance was aimed to take the famous indigenous cultures to the world arena,” Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Sarma had told the enormous gathering.

Cutting across religious barriers and economic status, people also exchange various sweets and gifts, including the traditional ‘Gamosa’ (a white piece of cloth with a red border having a customary pattern), with their near and dear ones as a mark of love and New Year celebrations.

Women were seen making various delicious foods, besides ‘pithas’ (rice cakes) while the markets were flooded with hundreds of traditional and new food items along with clothes to celebrate the festival.

During the past few days, shoppers, especially women, throng the shops and markets to buy their favourite clothes and domestic items to mark the tradition of wearing new clothes on the first day of ‘Bohag’.

Meanwhile, Poila Boishakh or Bengali New Year is also being celebrated along with numerous events including cultural functions in Tripura, Assam, Manipur and other northeastern states.

With new and fresh clothes, men and women visited various temples on the occasion of Poila Boishakh to take the blessings of the goddess.

People especially young men and women exchange ‘Shubho Nobo Borsho’ wishes, images, messages, greetings, statuses to share on Bengali New Year.

The Bengali community get together with friends and family to celebrate the New Year with much fanfare.

Poila Boishakh also marks the beginning of the financial year for the Bengali business community.

Traders worship Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi, and shopkeepers and businessmen invite regular customers to distribute sweets and exchange best wishes.

(IANS)