CORRESPONDENT
SHILLONG: With the United Democratic Party (UDP) firmly foregrounding restraint, Meghalaya’s simmering political debate over the Expert Committee Report on the State Reservation Policy has entered a sharper phase, even as the Voice of the People’s Party turns up the heat with warnings of statewide agitation. At a time when tempers are rising, the UDP has chosen to play it cool, making it clear that it will not pressure the government to hasten the release of the long-awaited report.
UDP General Secretary Titosstarwell Chyne said the party sees no merit in rushing the process, stressing that the government must be allowed to complete its work properly. His remarks stand in sharp contrast to the confrontational posture adopted by the VPP, whose president and Nongkrem MLA, Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit, has threatened agitation if the report continues to remain under wraps.
Explaining the party’s position, Chyne told reporters, “We have submitted our suggestions, and since the government has formed a committee, we expect that committee to deliver its report in due course.” He echoed the Chief Minister’s explanation that the delay is largely due to the sheer volume of the document, which reportedly runs into 4,000 to 5,000 pages, requiring careful technical and legal vetting before it is made public.
Dismissing demands for immediate disclosure, the UDP leader maintained that patience is the only prudent course. “It doesn’t matter. We have waited this long; we can wait for the government to release it at the right time,” he said, adding that it would be inappropriate for his party to seek a premature release while the report is still being fine-tuned.
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