Srinagar- National Conference (NC) leader and Member of Parliament Aga Ruhullah Mehdi on Monday took a bold stand against his own party’s policies by leading a peaceful protest outside Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s residence. His demand? The rationalisation of reservation quotas in Jammu and Kashmir as per population proportion or Supreme Court directives.
Ruhullah, while addressing the gathering, expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s formation of a cabinet sub-committee to review the reservation policy. “I had promised the students that their grievances are genuine and that I will protest in their favour. Today, we are here to fight for them. I would only be satisfied when the students are satisfied,” Ruhullah declared, reinforcing his commitment to merit-based fairness.
The current reservation policy, which grants quotas to Pahari-speaking people, has reduced the open merit category to just 30%, sparking protests from students, especially those in medical and surgical training, who argue that the policy compromises merit in favor of reservation.
“This revolt is not just about policy; it’s about ensuring fairness, justice, and the preservation of merit,” Ruhullah said.
“I don’t want any chaos, and I am not here to divide my party. But if anyone wants to create chaos in J&K, I will also hit the streets to oppose them,” he added.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday said while his government has formed a sub-committee to review the reservation policy, it will abide by the court directions on the matter.
Political commentators said that this protest signals a deep internal rift within the NC.
They questioned the necessity of taking the issue to the streets instead of addressing it internally.
“Ruhullah is creating a sense of division, highlighting the differing views that exist within the ruling party. This move has raised concerns about the party’s ability to handle sensitive matters cohesively,” a political analyst told Kashmir Observer.
“An elected MP staging a protest outside the official residence of his party colleague and Chief Minister points to a complete erosion of @RuhullahMehdi’s faith in his leadership,” a journalist posted on X. adding that the rationalization of reservation won’t happen overnight. “It has political, social, and regional dimensions as well as significant ramifications.”
“This is @OmarAbdullah’s first political challenge. All eyes are on him. J&K awaits statehood and Omar has to deliver. And it won’t be possible without taking some tough but politically correct decisions,” he added.
Omar Abdullah’s post on X, after meeting a delegation of representatives, also hinted at his disapproval of Aga Ruhullah’s involvement in the demonstration.
“Today I met the representatives of the Open Merit Students Association. The beauty of democracy is the right to be heard & dialogue in a spirit of mutual cooperation. I have made certain requests of them & given them a number of assurances,” he wrote, adding that this this channel of communication will remain open without any ‘intermediaries’ or ‘hangers-on’.
The tweet, while making a commitment to resolving the students’ concerns, appeared to be a subtle critique of Ruhullah’s role in organizing the protest, signaling possible friction within the party.
What is the policy?
The policy introduced by LG Manoj Sinha-led administration, before the assembly elections early this year, reduced the reservation percentage for the general category and increased those for the reserved categories in jobs and admissions.
The then administration had approved 10 per cent reservations for Paharis and three other tribes, taking the total reservations under the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category up to 20 per cent.
It also granted 8 percent reservations to Other Backward Classes (OBCs), besides adding 15 news castes to the list of OBCs as recommended by the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) Commission.
The Parliament, in February, had approved reservations for Pahari ethnic tribe, Paddari tribe, Kolis, and Gadda Brahmins, during the budget session.
Later in March, the Administrative Council met under LG Sinha and approved the proposal of the social welfare department to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Rules, 2005 in light of Jammu & Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Act, 2023, dated 15.12.2023, Constitution (Jammu & Kashmir) Scheduled Castes Order (Amendment) Act, 2024, Constitution (Jammu & Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Act, 2024 and recommendations of Jammu and Kashmir Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Commission.
Notably, the 2011 census data shows that 69 percent of the Valley’s population falls under the general category, which includes those not classified under Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes. But while reservations in the rest of the country have been capped at 50 percent, in J&K, they have been fixed at 70 percent.
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