The Voice of the People Party (VPP) on Friday condemned the Education Minister Rakkam Sangma for alleging that ongoing hunger protest by its president Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit is “drama politics”.
“The Minister and his colleagues should take the responsibility for creating this situation where an important public issue has to be taken to the street and putting the health of our President in danger. His statement implies that he ridicules and mocks the struggle of the youth from Khasi-Jaintia region of the state as drama,” VPP spokesperson Dr Batskhem Myrboh said in a statement.
He said that in fact, had this Government been responsible and fair enough, without waiting for the matter to reach to the present situation should have taken the responsibility to review the Job Reservation Policy.
Myrboh also said that the Job reservation policy clearly states that population is the basis of the quantum of reservation adding “For his kind knowledge the phrase “in terms of their population” has been clearly stated in line number 8 of the Resolution dated 12.01.1972.”
The party also asked the minister to read the policy till it is understood properly before he makes further irresponsible statement on the matter.
“Regarding his blackmailing tactic that the VPP is playing with fire and the youth of the state would be affected by the likelihood of the job reservation policy of the state which is at present above the 50 per cent limit set by the Supreme Court in 1992, the party would like to enlighten the minister that the independent judiciary in India does not decide cases on the basis of noise or the lack of it. Rather cases are decided as per law and facts placed before it,” Myrboh said.
According to him, in fact it is the duty and responsibility of the NPP led MDA. 2.0 Government to defend the state job reservation policy before the court. “If it fails to defend, it has to take full responsibility,” it added.