Shadow Correspondent
Srinagar, Dec 23 :
The row over ‘unfair’ reservation policy in Jammu and Kashmir united political parties including the separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.
This rare gathering of the political parties including the ruling National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) besides an independent legislator and representatives of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq assembled outside the residence of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday.
Member of Parliament Aga Ruhullah, who has emerged as an advocate for merit based students, joined scores of merit based students pressing for rationalisation of the policy.
Addressing the students, Ruhullah said that he had joined them as they were not ‘satisfied’ with the J&K government’s cabinet sub-committee on the reservation policy. The ruling National Conference set up a panel of three ministers led by education minister Sakina Itoo last month and the policy has also been challenged in the High Court.
“I had promised to stand with you and today we are here to seek the rights. We do not want to snatch reservations from any group. But we want reservation based on criteria, like; population, percentage or Supreme Court’s directive,” Ruhullah said.
The Supreme Court has capped the reservations at 50 percent in its landmark Indra Sawhney judgement in 1992. Although the states like Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh among others have breached the threshold, they remain under the scrutiny of judicial law.
But the J&K reservation policy in jobs and educational institutions stands at a staggering over 60 percent after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led government increased the quotas by 14 percent in the run-up to the Lok Sabha election 2024, shrinking the opportunities
NC MP Ruhullah
for the open merit population. The ruling National Conference had vowed to review the policy in their poll manifesto.
“We have come here to the elected government and I am with them (students) in their struggle. The concerns and demands of people and students need to be taken seriously and they want result oriented engagement from the government. I am here to facilitate it,” said Ruhullah.
The senior NC leader gained popularity among people after he took a stand against his own party following the abrogation of Article 370 and downgrading of state into two union territories. Now, the students have also pinned their hopes on him on the reservation issue.
Ruhullah highlighted the last five years saying they voted to end the ‘dictatorship’.
“We don’t want violence or democratic means but will respond through democratic means,” said Ruhullah.
Ruhullah told ETV Bharat that they are not against reservation of any category based aspirants but would like the open merit students to not be at the receiving end.
“The government should find a solution to this issue. Let us recommend a rationalised reservation policy to the Government of India as the final decision has to be taken by them.
“The J&K Government’s cabinet committee should frame the document suggesting a rationalised reservation policy,” he added.
On the other hand, PDP leader Iltija Mufti said that they are not here to do politics but would like the reservation based on equality and not discrimination.
“We hope the government 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,” she added.
Demanding justice and fairness in reservation, the Valley’s revered cleric and senior separatist leader, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said that he would like to join the protest, if allowed.
