Shadow Correspondent
Jammu, Mar, 15
In a significant development, a joint meeting was convened under the banner of OBC Adhikar Tiranga Yatra, bringing together various organizations, including All J&K OBC Mahasabha, All India Backward Classes Federation JK-Unit, All J&K OBC Welfare Forum Srinagar, Backward Classes Union Rajouri-Poonch, and the presidents of different OBC castes and communities. The meeting was chaired by Sh. Faquir Chand Satia, President of All India Backward Classes Federation and General Secretary of All J&K Prajapati Sabha of Kumhar Sabha.
The participants unanimously opposed the Reservation Bill-2025, which was introduced in the Legislative Assembly by Bashir Ahmed Veeri, MLA from Bijbehara, Srinagar. Convener Sh. Bansi Lal Choudhary of OBC Mahasabha detailed the concerns, stating that this bill is detrimental to the reservation rights of Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Scheduled Castes (SCs), and Scheduled Tribes (STs), who constitute nearly 76% of Jammu & Kashmir’s population across Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh communities.
The meeting highlighted how the erstwhile government had already diluted OBC, SC, and ST reservations by including upper castes and landlords under the OBC category. Further, the creation of the Pahari Speaking People category with 10% reservation under Schedule Tribe-1 was strongly criticized as an attempt to benefit privileged groups at the cost of marginalized communities.
The gathering appealed to the Hon’ble Speaker of the Legislative Assembly to reject the bill, calling it unconstitutional and against the fundamental rights of OBCs, SCs, and STs. The participants also urged Jenab Farooq Abdullah, Chief Patron of the National Conference, to expel Bashir Ahmed Veeri from the party for proposing such a regressive bill.
The meeting also discussed the historic injustice meted out to OBCs in Jammu & Kashmir. Sh. Bansi Lal Choudhary pointed out that, despite the 1992 Supreme Court judgment on the Mandal Commission Report, which guaranteed 27% reservation for OBCs in government services, successive governments in Jammu & Kashmir failed to implement it. Instead, they diverted OBC reservations to upper-caste groups by creating Reserved Backward Area (RBA), ALC, and Pahari-speaking categories.
Sh. Kewal Krishan Fotra, President of All J&K Sain Samaj (Barber-Hajam Community), exposed the flaws in the recent OBC survey conducted by the government. He stated that none of the 20 Deputy Commissioners across Jammu & Kashmir conducted a door-to-door survey, making the report by the J&K Local Bodies Dedicated Backward Classes Commission completely unreliable and fabricated. He emphasized that a genuine OBC census is necessary to ensure fair reservation in Panchayats, Municipal Corporations, and Committees.
The meeting also noted that, despite amendments to the J&K Panchayati Raj Act (1989) and the J&K Municipal Corporation/Committees Act (2000), the government failed to give OBCs adequate representation. To counter this, OBC organizations formed a Three-Member Monitoring Committee, which attended public hearings across Udhampur, Kathua, Akhnoor, Srinagar, Baramulla, and Anantnag. Their February 2025 report confirmed that the government deliberately downplayed the OBC population, which is around 65% across 42 castes, to minimize their representation in local governance. Balwant Katria, General Secretary of All India Backward Classes Federation (AIBCF), highlighted another grave injustice post 31st October 2019, when Jammu & Kashmir became a Union Territory. The government removed urban OBC castes such as Barbers, Dhobis, Kumhars, and Teelis from the central OBC list by inserting the term ‘Rural Only’, a discriminatory move not mentioned in SRO-294 (2005). This action further marginalized OBC communities in urban areas, depriving them of rightful reservations in education, employment, and governance.
The meeting concluded with a strong call to action. All participating OBC organizations, along with All India SC/ST/OBC Confederation and other social organizations, have decided to organize a massive protest march at Press Club on 25th March 2025 (Monday). The protest will culminate in the Gherao of the Legislative Assembly, demanding the withdrawal of the Reservation Bill-2025.
The leaders called upon the masses from OBC, SC, and ST communities to participate in large numbers to defend their constitutional rights.
Among those present and speaking at the meeting were Sh. Kasturi Lal Basotra (Chairman, OBC Mahasabha), Raj Kumar Chalotra (Vice-President, Pradesh Vishwakarma Sabha), Mohan Lal Pawar (General Secretary, OBC Mahasabha), Manohar Lal Tidyal (Chief Advisor, OBC Mahasabha), and Mohd. Shabir Sambyal (President, Dhobi Welfare Central Committee).
This united stand marks a significant moment in the ongoing struggle for social justice and rightful representation for the OBC, SC, and ST communities in Jammu & Kashmir.
