SHILLONG, March 30: The opposition Voice of the People Party (VPP) on Thursday termed the allegation that the party is promoting communalism among communities living in the state as total ‘baseless and erroneous’ and said implementing the roster system without reviewing the reservation policy disproportionately affects the youth from a particular community who has to bear the burden of historical circumstances.
In a statement, VPP spokesperson Dr Batshkhem Myrboh said the condemnation and protest by certain individuals and groups against the VPP for impressing upon the NPP led MDA-2 government to review the reservation policy and to withhold the implementation of the roster system during the pendency of such a review is unfortunate, uncalled for and unreasonable.
He said it is a known fact that reservation policy is a sensitive matter, but its sensitivity should not prevent the rational application of mind to it. It is an undeniable fact that the state job reservation policy lacks rational and justifiable basis as it totally ignores the ground realities such as population structure of the state and the rights of the differently abled persons besides others.
Dr Myrboh said that the VPP president Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit in fact presented a mature and responsible speech in the just concluded Meghalaya Legislative Assembly regarding the reservation policy and the roster system.
In the speech, he (Basaiawmoit) categorically clarified that he never intended to bring deprivation and that he was never against any community. All communities should enjoy the benefits and privileges according to what they deserve.
Urging the people of the state across communities not to fall prey to the attempt of people with vested interest to incorrectly malign the Party as being communal and bigot, the VPP leader said, “We are cognizant of the fact that every effort is being made to tarnish the image of the Party with the ill intent to stop its influence and spread from reaching every nook and corner of the state; the reason being that the Party has unsettled the electoral performances of those who view and practice corruption and deceitfulness as essential ingredients of politics.”
Further, the VPP welcomed and appealed to the people of Garo Hills to join hands with the party to make an all Meghalaya party to bring development and progress as we are committed to bring alternative politics in the state.
