The Hynniewtrep National Youth Movement (HNYM) on Thursday took out a rally to protest against the unemployment problem faced by youth of the state.
Addressing the crowd at Barik before the rally, HNYM president Louis Dohtdong said, “We are taking out this rally as a mark of protest against the unemployment problem faced by our local youth.”
“We had demanded the State government to come up with an employment policy through a memorandum submitted on July 1, 2022. Subsequently in November, last year the chief minister Conrad K Sangma had invited us for a meeting where he admitted that the issue needed the government’s attention. He had also informed that the government will come up with many initiatives to generate employment for the youth of the state. The CM had maintained that the demand of the organization is genuine and that the government will examine it before taking a decision,” he said.
“However, we waited till today the August 31, nothing has been done in this regard. Therefore, we demand the government to immediately come up with an employment policy failing which we will take stern action,” Dohtdong said.
He said that the employment policy should also be made applicable to various private companies operating in the region.
The HNYM president slammed the Conrad K Sangma-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government for allegedly allowing the setting up of more than 800 wine stores in Khasi-Jaintia Hills region whereas there are only 27 wine stores in the Garo Hills region.
“This is nothing but a death trap against the indigenous youth of the state,” he added.
Meanwhile, the HNYM president further accused the traditional heads of being responsible for land alienation in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills region and said that they have betrayed the indigenous community.
“That is why we will wait for the right time and place for the right operation. Why we are against coming of people from outside to work in the state and to set up various companies, because these companies are set up to benefit people from outside the state while locals are being neglected,” he said.