The country has no dearth of causes but two rallies in Shillong this month have flagged a vexing issue the Narendra Modi government had been seeking to sweep under the carpet: unemployment.

The influential Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People on Friday held a march in Shillong protesting unemployment in Meghalaya and seeking a government policy stipulating job reservation in the private sector for indigenous youth.

The Hynniewtrep National Youth Movement had on October 20 organised the first march, seeking a law reserving 80 per cent private-sector jobs for indigenous youth.

Meghalaya is governed by a coalition headed by the National People’s Party and partnered by the BJP. The twin marches have come at a time Prime Minister Narendra Modi has flagged off a jobs “mela” to fill vacancies in various central government departments.

Friday’s march, from Motphran to the Fire Brigade Ground, started around noon and ended at 4pm, covering about 5km. It witnessed stray incidents of assault on passers-by along the route.

Dundee Cliff Khongsit, president of the Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP), told The Telegraph that there were 1.2 lakh registered educated unemployed people in the state, whose population is about 32 lakh.

He said the authorities had failed to fill 7,653 vacant government posts, causing frustration among the youth.

Members of leading organisations such as the Khasi Students’ Union, Ri Bhoi Youth Front and the Hynniewtrep National Youth Front participated in the march.

Formed in 1989, the FKJGP is an influential pressure group that represents the state’s three leading communities (Khasi, Garos and Jaintias) and works for a socioeconomic and political reformation in the state.

At a meeting after the march, Khongsit listed the FKJGP’s demands for the NPP-led state government, including the filling of all vacant posts, replacing “inefficient” officials posted with government recruitment agencies, and an employment policy guaranteeing 80 per cent reservation in non-technical jobs and 50 per cent in technical jobs for indigenous youth in the private sector.

Khongsit said the organisation was not against private companies but wanted them to stop hiring employees from outside for jobs that could be done by indigenous youth.

He tried to clear the air about the timing of the FKJGP’s flagging of unemployment, denying it was linked to the Assembly polls, due early next year.

Khongsit said the organisation had begun highlighting joblessness in 2019 but had to call a pause because of Covid. “We have more such rallies lined up, including in the Garo Hills,” he said.

One of the rally organisers expressed regret over the assaults on passers-by at a couple of localities.

“This should not have happened. Some bad elements must have entered the rally. We had issued strict instructions to the participants to march peacefully. We will find out who are involved,” he said.

Police said two people had been injured but not hospitalised, and that two suo motu cases had been registered. Shops had downed shutters but reopened after the march, the organisers said.