Calls for reservation policy reversal grows louder in J&K

Demands for reversing the reservation policy in recruitment and admissions in Jammu and Kashmir are getting intense with National Conference leader Ruhullah Mehdi promising to join the outcry and Jammu and Kashmir Students Association calling for a protest in New Delhi.

The policy introduced by lieutenant governor-led administration, before the assembly elections early this year, had squeezed the general category to 40%, which form the majority of the population, and increased reservation for reserved categories to 60%.

Amid the demands, NC, which won the elections in the union territory and had promised to re-look at the reservation policy in its election manifesto, is in a fix as there is no clarity yet “about the distribution of the rules of business on many issues between the Omar Abdullah led elected government and LG office, including the reservation.”

Senior National Conference leader and Member of Parliament from Srinagar Ruhullah Mehdi on Thursday promised the candidates that he will join the protest outside the residence of chief minister Omar Abdullah if the reservation policy was not rationalised by the end of Parliament session.

“And I will sit with all of you outside the office or the residence of HCM(chief minister). I have neither forgotten nor backtracked on the issue of rationalisation of reservation. Away from the X (Twitter) I have talked with HCM twice and multiple times with other colleagues about this issue,” Mehdi wrote on X after a netizen reminded him that Omar Abdullah got votes on the issue.

The MP Mehdi informed that the reason for not taking any action over the reservation policy by the new government was owing to confusion between the devolution of power between new elected government of Omar Abdullah and the LG.

“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,” he said.

Mehdi urged the candidates to give some time to the new government. “While I respect the institution of the elected government and their right to make decisions, and I think it is fair and logical to give them some time to find a solution. I, at the same time, understand the urgency of the matter. Therefore, I would request all of you to wait till I attend the Parliament session which starts from Nov 25 and concludes on Dec 22. If the decision is not taken till then, I will sit with all of you outside the residence or the office of the chief minister,” he said.

Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) has called for a protest in New Delhi.

Talking about the protest, JKSA national convener Nasir Kheuhami said,“Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) will hold a peaceful sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi on December 5, to demand the undoing of the unjust reservation policy in Jammu and Kashmir. Let our voices be heard and respected in Delhi, just as voices emerging from the rest of India,” said JKSA national convenor Nasir Kheuhami.

“We urge all genuine aspirants, students, and concerned citizens to come forward and stand with us in this crucial movement. Our protest aims to bring this issue to the floor of Parliament and ensure that the voices of Jammu and Kashmir’s youth are heard in the corridors of power,” he said.

The demands for re-look have become more pronounced after the Omar led government approved the advertisements for 575 lecturer positions in various streams within the Jammu and Kashmir school education department. However, of the 575 posts referred to the Public Service Commission, only 238 were for open merit candidates, triggering outrage.

Early 2024, the LG amended the Jammu and Kashmir reservation Act of 2004 approving reservation for newly included tribes, including Paharis, and adding new castes in OBC and then providing overall 60% reservation to reserved categories while squeezing the general category to 40% which are believed to be majority in the population.

The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) has also demanded an immediate caste census in Jammu and Kashmir to ascertain the exact numbers of each reserved group or community. The association said that such an exercise is critical for creating a transparent and equitable reservation policy that mirrors the socio-economic realities of the region and ensures justice for all.

“We are not against reservation,” Khuehami said, “But we demand fairness and balance. Counting the exact numbers of each reserved community and assessing their socio-economic status is the first step toward achieving that balance.”