The Jaiñtia National Council (JNC) has strongly condemned remarks made by MLA Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit on Meghalaya’s reservation policy, accusing him of attempting to ‘erase’ the Jaiñtia (Pnar) community by referring only to Khasi in his statement on the issue.
In a press statement issued by JNC’s Central Executive Committee, alleged that Basaiawmoit, who is the Chief of the Voice of the People Party, deliberately erased the term Jaiñtia while speaking about the reservation policy.
The JNC asserted that the correct and only acceptable reference in all matters of reservation policy and governance in the state is “Khasi-Jaiñtia”.
The council extended its support to Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar for publicly rejecting Basaiawmoit’s statement.
Questioning Basaiawmoit, the JNC challenged him to produce any official document, constitutional provision, or legislative record that justifies dropping of “Jaiñtia” from the reservation discourse.
The council further stated that attempts to project the issue as one of “unification” were misplaced, asserting that the Khasi and Jaiñtia communities have historically shared a common identity under the traditional bond of “Hynñiewtrep.”
Also Read: Meghalaya: HNLC militant linked to 2024 Shillong IED blast surrenders
According to the JNC, the unity between the communities is ancestral and not a political construct requiring consolidation.
The JNC statement said, “We the Khasi and the Jaiñtia are, and have always been, one people under the sacred bond of “HYNÑIEWTREP” the Children of the Seven Huts. From the time of our great-grandparents to this day, we have walked together, struggled together, and spoken as one under the name “Khasi-Jaiñtia”. Our unity is not a political project. It is not a campaign slogan. It is our identity, our blood, our ancestral covenant.”
Expressing concern over what it termed the use of community identities for political gain, the JNC warned against reducing the historical and cultural distinctiveness of the Jaiñtia people to election rhetoric.
“It appears that “For the sake of his own political gain, bah Ardent is willing to erase our Jaiñtia Hills Autonomous District Council in the future.” We will never ALLOW this to happen,” the JNC said.
The organization called on Members of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly to ensure that the Jaiñtia community continues to be explicitly acknowledged in state politics.
