SHILLONG : The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) on Friday revised its agitation programme, deciding to submit memorandums to all 36 Khasi-Jaintia legislators ahead of the Meghalaya Assembly session beginning August 24.
The move came in place of the Union’s earlier plan to take out a procession and hold a sit-in demonstration at Khyndailad on Friday.
In a statement, KSU assistant general secretary Pynshai Rani said memorandums had been submitted to all 36 MLAs from the Khasi Hills as part of the Union’s efforts to press the legislators to raise its five key demands before the state government.
The KSU also plans to submit memorandums to the 24 legislators representing the Garo Hills region.
The memorandums were submitted by members of KSU Units and Circles falling under the respective constituencies of the MLAs.
“MLAs are elected by the people and it is their duty to speak on matters that affect employment opportunities and the hardships of the entire community as well,” Rani said.
He added that the Union was leaving it to the representatives’ wisdom to decide how they should discharge their responsibilities.
Reiterating its position, the KSU said it would continue its agitation until the state government fully implements its demands.
As part of its next course of action, the Union will hold a sit-in demonstration on August 24 at the statue of U Woh Kiang Nangbah, opposite Shillong Civil Hospital, from 11 am onwards.
On August 25, the KSU will organise sit-in demonstrations across seven districts of the Khasi and Jaintia Hills.
The Union also clarified that it would not organise any agitation programme on August 22 to avoid causing inconvenience to candidates appearing for the Lower Division Assistant (LDA) examination conducted by the Meghalaya Public Service Commission (MPSC).
Among its key demands, the KSU has sought the cancellation of the public hearing conducted for the Shree Cement project on July 31. It has also demanded action against the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police of East Jaintia Hills, along with officials of the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board, over their alleged roles in the hearing.
The Union has further demanded the immediate implementation of the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act, 2016, along with entry and exit facilitation centres.
It has also called for the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) under the Eastern Bengal Frontier Regulation, 1873, and enforcement of the amended Meghalaya Identification and Registration of Migrant Workers Act, 2020, which it said has been pending for more than two years.
On employment, the KSU has demanded that the government resolve recruitment-related issues at NEIGRIHMS, as assured in May this year.
The Union has also called for reforms in state recruitment, including the abolition of personal interviews for Grade B (non-gazetted), Grade C and Grade D posts, reforms in the MPSC and District Selection Committees (DSCs), and the formulation of a Standard Operating Procedure for all recruitment boards.