Minister in-charge of education Rakkam A Sangma today claimed that the Supreme Court may strike down the job reservation which the state of Meghalaya is having the joy of implementing almost 80% for tribals of the state.
Speaking to media persons, Sangma urged Nongkrem MLA and president of the Voice of the People’s Party (VPP) Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit to put an end to his on-going indefinite hunger strike.
Expressing concern, Sangma warned, “We are playing with fire and it will burn everybody, including the VPP. It will destroy the future of our youth.”
Sangma said that the state is currently at the mercy of the Supreme Court and he cited the 1992 Supreme Court Judgment in the Indira Sawhny case that reservation should not exceed 50 percent.
He cautioned, “Continuing this drama could lead to unforeseen consequences, and if our reservation policy is invalidated, we will bear the responsibility. This is not an isolated incident; it has happened before. If such a scenario unfolds, our future generations will never forgive us.”
Referring to a 2014 case in Maharashtra where a complainant challenged the ordinance passed by the government of Maharashtra in the Supreme Court over the allocation of reserved seats to a certain tribe beyond 50 per cent, Sangma said that the apex court struck down the ordinance and issued a circular to every state in the state country, including Meghalaya, reminding the states of the permissible limit which is at 50 per cent.
“Meghalaya is enjoying 85 percent job reservation for the Khasi, Jaintia & Garos, hence this action by Basaiawmoit may lead to a great failure and may even risk the future of the students in the state as the Supreme Court is observing these series of developments in the state” he added.