Williamnagar, April 25: A conglomerate of student and social organizations across East Garo Hills staged a mass protest rally in Williamnagar on April 25th demanding implementation of the Roster System and establishment of winter Capital in Tura.

The protest groups included Garo Students Union East Zone, All A’chik Youth Federation of East Zone, Loyola College Students Union and associations belonging to pik-up sumos, maxi cabs, and other commercial vehicles.

In a memorandum submitted to the government through the deputy commissioner of East Garo Hills, the combined groups put across several points.

Firstly, they stated that if the Roster System is put in place prospectively without any counteractive approaches to the defalcation will impress disparity among the community .

“In the offices of the Secretariat and Directorate the employees from Garo communities are not even and it could be noticed that in some Head’s of the department like McECL not even a single Garo employee could be found.”

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The 40/40 Job Reservation Policy administered with the Roster System is very much applicable and it should not be altered by any way to ensure peace and harmony among the community of the State, urged the organizations.

They said that the State does not have equal developments in all the regions, Economically, Educationally and in all aspects only the Shillong region has all the facilities.

“Many a time our Youths from Garo Hills travelling to Shillong to give central Exam/ Entrance exams had to spend the night in the bus or car and even some deserving Youth had to forgo exams due to financial challenges. Since, the Shillongites are advanced in all aspects of facilities and may be able to compete on general quotas whereas the people from other regions of the state are still in need of the quota shares. Hence, it is to remind that the Roster System must be put in place retrospectively in order to get equity at the time of implementation without disparity in the recruitment/ employment.”

On the demand for winter capital, the organizations reminded that winter capital in Garo Hills is the long cherished demand and the promise of the Government since the inception of Meghalaya Statehood. The creation of winter capital will bring equal development in the regions and the administration and Governance will be much more in balance in the State. The creation is very much essential to improve economic opportunities and to bring the governance closer to the people. Hence, the demand for winter capital in Garo Hills is understood to be justifiable and appropriate , and the demand will be louder in the next phase until it is achieved, they said.

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