Medical students stage a protest, led by Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, demanding rationalisation of reservation in Jammu and Kashmir, outside J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s residence in Srinagar, on December 23, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Cutting across party lines, several mainstream leaders, including ruling National Conference (NC) Member of Parliament Aga Syed Ruhullah and Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Iltija Mufti, on Monday (December 23, 2024) joined hundreds of general category students to protest outside the residence of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in Srinagar to seek rationalisation of reservation in the Union Territory (UT).
Ever since the new reservation was policy was introduced by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha-led administration during the Central rule in J&K, an online protest has been gathering momentum for months. General category students and job aspirants have alleged that the new reservation policy under the J&K Reorganisation Act has increased the reservation for Scheduled Tribes by 20% by including Paharis, and has increased the OBC quota to 8%. At present, the quota for reserved category in J&K has risen to over 60% and the chance for open merit students has reduced to less than 40%, the aggrieved students said.
Joining the protesters in Srinagar despite coming from the ruling party, MP Ruhullah said, “We are not against reservation to any community that requires the government’s hand-holding because of being downtrodden, as a matter of justice. At the same time, the open merit aspirants over whom the irrational reservation dangles like a sword deserve justice. No one demands scrapping of reservation to any community but only the need to rationalise it.”
Two ways to rationalise: NC MP Ruhullah
Mr. Ruhullah said there are two ways to rationalise the reservation. “Either the reservation should be done as per the population ratio. If the reserved categories are less than 50% [of the population], then open merit should not face injustice due to the 70% reservation. The other way is to follow the Supreme Court ruling that calls for 50% reservation for open merit students and aspirants,” he said.
The MP said he joined the protesters “neither to create any chaos nor to divide the party but raise the voice for youth”. “People came out to vote so that the local government is strengthened and dictatorship is ended. I am committed to raise voice for people whether it’s the Assembly, Parliament or Cabinet,” he said.
In a rare show of solidarity, leaders of the PDP and incarcerated MP Engineer Rashid-led Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) also joined the protest in Srinagar. “We hope for a time-bound rationalisation of reservation. The government needs to deliver. We are not here to do politics but stand with our youth. The government needs to walk the talk. Unemployment has touched over 35% in J&K. We want equitable distribution and ending students’ distress in J&K,” Ms. Mufti.
PDP legislator Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra, who also addressed the protesters, said, “We believe in empowering marginalised communities to not just be present but shape decisions and lead change. However, merit must remain the bedrock of our system. Reservations must serve only as targeted exceptions to bridge inequalities, not as tools for perpetual imbalance. Policies that reduce the majority to a minority are neither just nor sustainable.” He said the open merit category “cannot be sacrificed at the altar of vote-bank politics or divisive agendas”.
Protesters meet CM
AIP legislator MLA Sheikh Khurshid said the current reservation policy is “anti-people and anti-youth”. “Our future is in the dark if the current policy goes on,” he said.
Meanwhile, a group of protesters, comprising five students, met the Chief Minister at his residence. “I met the representatives of the Open Merit Students Association. The beauty of democracy is the right to be heard and dialogue in a spirit of mutual cooperation. I have made certain requests of them & given them a number of assurances. This channel of communication will remain open without any intermediaries or hangers on,” Mr. Abdullah said, who earlier in the day posted a poem about maintaining calm and resilience by Rudyard Kipling as protesters were raising slogans outside his residence.
Sources said Mr. Abdullah has sought time to address the issue, which is also being heard by the J&K and Ladakh High Court. A month ago, the J&K government also constituted a Cabinet sub-committee to study the issue and file a report.
Monday’s protest was also the first major demonstration in Srinagar since the Centre ended J&K’s special constitutional position in 2019 under Article 370.
However, Hurriyat chairman and Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was disallowed to join the protesters. “The issue of reservations should be addressed with justice and fairness by those in charge, safeguarding the interests of all segments of society, not at the expense of any one group. I will raise the issue in Jama Masjid whenever permitted to go,” the Mirwaiz said, in a post on X.
Under the present reservation policy, Scheduled Tribes have 20% reservation, Scheduled Castes 8%, Reserved Backward Areas 10%, Other Backward Classes 8%, Local Area Candidates/Integrated Borders 4%, Economically Weaker Sections 10% and Children of Defence Personnel, sports, CDP, PWD, etc. 10%.
Published – December 23, 2024 10:04 pm IST