Host Winter Session in Tura or face the music: Students

Shillong, Dec 5 (UNI) The Garo Students' Union has threatened to launch an agitation in the three districts of Garo Hills if the Meghalaya government failed to concede its demands for holding state assembly's winter session and winter capital in Tura by December 7.

The four-day winter session is scheduled to be held here from December 8 to 14 at the Arts and Culture Building.

In a memorandum submitted to state Chief Minister J. D. Rymbai, the students pointed out that the proposal for making Tura the winter capital of Meghalaya was pending since its achieving Statehood.

''This did not materialise because of the lack of political will on the part of legislators and the strategy was derailed before it could even be initiated,'' GSU President Andreas T Sangma said.

adding that the winter capital at Tura '' Is a must for Garo Hills and only right because the agreement at the birth of the state by its founding fathers must be honoured''.

''If the government failed to meet our demands by December 7. We have no other option but to launch agitations of any forms,'' Mr Sangma cautioned.

The GSU president added that there were several government buildings including the circuit house, inns, quarters, commissioner of divisions building, auditorium to serve as infrastructure for the winter session at Tura.

Mr Sangma said hosting of the winter session at Tura would act as a catalyst for the development.

Appealing for proper implementation of the reservation policy for tribal Garos, the GSU president said the present 40 per cent quota for the Garos was not honoured most often and the Garos land up having only 13 per cent of the jobs.

The GSU also demanded that a process should be initiated for appointments of all the Garo candidates in BADO, IPO and posts of Assistant Auditors. The other demands include verification of all Garo candidates for validity of appointment, maintenance of 40 per cent quota for the Garos as per reservation policy and not necessarily on the basis of merit.

UNI RRK PC SP DS1301