To demand a review of the reservation policy, which was implemented by the lieutenant governor-led administration earlier this year, hundreds of students and several political figures have assembled outside the residence of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
According to the sources, MP Ruhullah Mehdi, a member of Abdullah’s own party (National Conference), was present with the students. To demand reason in the quota policy, he had called for a protest outside the CM’s residence office on Gupkar Road in a post on X on Sunday.
Along with Sheikh Khurshi, the leader of the Awami Itihad Party and the brother of Engineer Rashid, opposition PDP politicians Waheed Para and Iltija Mufti have also attended the demonstration.
Furthermore, Mehdi and the pupils were joined outside by Abdullah’s son.
The students were addressed by Mufti, who then told reporters, “We are not here to do politics.”
She claimed that no one discussed the “youth” in the valley politics, which are centered on Article 370 and the restoration of statehood.
Mufti told ANI, “They have very basic demands – like the reservation must be equitable and not discriminatory… We hope the govt that came to power with a huge mandate and with a promise that they will rationalise the reservation – we hope the NC govt fulfils their promises in a time-bound manner”.
Hours after the protest began, chief minister Omar Abdullah called in the students and spoke with them in his office.
What is the policy?
The government of LG Manoj Sinha implemented a policy prior to this year’s assembly elections that decreased the general category’s reservation percentage and raised the reserved categories’ in terms of admissions and employment.
Ten percent of reservations were authorized by the previous administration for Paharis and three additional tribes, bringing the total number of reservations under the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category to twenty percent.
In addition to introducing 15 new castes to the list of OBCs as suggested by the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) Commission, it also gave 8% reservations to OBCs.
During the February budget session, the Parliament authorized reservations for the Pahari ethnic tribe, the Paddari tribe, the Kolis, and the Gadda Brahmins.
Later in March, the Administrative Council convened under LG Sinha and adopted the social welfare department’s proposal to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Rules, 2005 in light of the Jammu & Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Act, 2023, dated 15.12.2023, the Scheduled Castes Order (Amendment) Act, 2024, the Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Act, 2024, and the Jammu and Kashmir Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Commission’s recommendations.
Policy triggers anger, protests
The reservation strategy was unpopular with both students and lawmakers. The valley was resounding with calls for the policy to be reviewed and reversed.
NC MP Ruhulla Mehdi pledged to join the students’ November protest, but he clarified that the new government’s inaction on the reservation policy was due to a misunderstanding of the power transfer between LG Sinha and the newly elected Omar Abullah-led administration.
He said, “I am told that there is some confusion about the distribution of the rules of business on many issues between the elected government and the other undemocratically imposed office and this subject is one among them. I am assured that the government will take a decision to rationalise the policy soon”.
J&K govt forms panel to review policy
The government of Jammu and Kashmir established a three-person commission on December 10 to examine the admissions and employment reservation policy.
The panel comprises health minister Sakina Itoo, forest minister Javed Ahmad Rana, and science and technology minister Satish Sharma.
So far no deadline has been set for the committee to submit its report.
Two days later, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court requested a response from the government within three weeks in response to a new petition contesting the reservation policy.
Additionally, the court combined the most current petition with the earlier one.
Will abide by court’s decision: CM
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah declared on Sunday that his government will follow the court’s rulings on the reservation policy even if a committee has been established to evaluate it.
Abdullah clarified that his party, JKNC, is totally committed to going over every element of its program, adding that he understands the feelings that are being expressed over the reserve issue.
In a post on X, Abdullah stated, “It is as a continuation of this commitment that a cabinet sub-committee was constituted to move towards fulfilling this promise. That sub-committee was only recently notified & is in the process of starting its work by engaging with all stakeholders”.
The High Court has also challenged the policy, he said, adding that his government will undoubtedly be “bound by any judgment when the final legal options have been exhausted.”
The chief minister added, “It has come to my attention that a protest is being planned in Srinagar to highlight the sense of injustice surrounding the reservation policy. Peaceful protest is a democratic right & I would be the last person to deny anyone that right but please protest knowing that the issue has not been ignored or swept under the carpet”.
He reassured everyone that due process would be followed and that everyone would be heard before a fair decision was made.
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