Srinagar, Dec 23: Leaders from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) joined protests against the reservation policy led by National Conference leader and Member Parliament, Aga Ruhullah Mehdi outside the Chief Minister’s residence here on Monday.
Leaders, including Iltija Mufti, MLA Waheed Parra and MLA Sheikh Khurshid expressed their support for the protests, saying the demonstration was aimed at addressing the genuine concerns of the youth regarding the reservation policy in Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking to reporters, Mufti demanded a fair reservation policy for Jammu and Kashmir. She clarified that the protest was not politically motivated but was focused on resolving issues faced by the youth.
“We are not here to play politics in J&K. The politics of resolution surrounded Article 370 and the restoration of statehood, but no one is talking about the youth. Their basic demand is that the reservation system must be equitable and non-discriminatory,” she said.
The PDP leader urged the NC-led government, which holds a large mandate, to fulfil its promise of rationalising the reservation policy in a time-bound manner. “We hope the government will act on its commitment without further delay,” Iltija said. “We are not against any group or community. We are here to press the current government for rationalization. We have yet to see the report from the committee formed by the government, even after one month.”
Waheed Parra, MLA from Pulwama, said, “We are protesting for the sake of students. The BJP’s reservation policy seems designed to create divisions among people in J&K. We are not against reservation, but it should be fair and benefit deserving students.”
Sheikh Khurshid, the MLA from Langate, accused the government of inaction. “The Chief Minister can constitute a committee to resolve this issue. Why hasn’t this been done yet?” he asked. “We will support anyone who opposes the discriminatory reservation policy. If the committee had provided any response, there would have been no need for this protest.”
Student leaders and activists also participated in the protest and reiterated their support for students. A representative said the issue had already been raised in Parliament, J&K Assembly and during protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
“The students are facing difficulties due to the reservation policy and we will continue to fight for them. Omar Abdullah had promised to address these concerns, and we are hopeful he will resolve them soon,” the representative said.
‘Don’t underestimate people’s intelligence’: Bukhari terms MP Mehdi’s protest as ‘theatrics’
“A Member of Parliament (MP) staging protests and writing open letters instead of speaking directly to his party leader shows a complete disregard for the common sense of the people,” Apni Party president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari said on Monday.
“Such political gimmicks won’t fool anyone, as the people are intelligent enough to distinguish between genuine efforts and theatrical actions,” he said in a statement issued here.
Bukhari made these remarks regarding the protest by NC’s Member Parliament Aga Ruhullah Medi, who staged a protest outside the residence of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Gupkar Road on Monday, demanding fairness in the reservation policy.
Earlier, in October, the MP wrote an open letter to the Chief Minister and his party leader in which he highlighted certain public issues and suggested several measures for the welfare of J&K and its people.
Terming the actions of letter-writing and resorting to protest by the MP as “political gimmickry”, the Apni Party chief said, “People cannot be fooled by such theatrical actions. It shows a complete disregard for people’s common sense when an MP, instead of directly talking to his party president to advocate for public demands, opts to write an open letter and stage protests against his own party leadership.”
He added, “The days of such political gimmickry are long gone. People are intelligent enough to distinguish between genuine efforts and theatrical actions.”
Bukhari urged the NC leader and MP not to undermine public intelligence. “Underestimating the intelligence of the people, which far exceeds your own, is both unwise and disrespectful,” he said.
Protest outside Parliament, not Srinagar streets: Hakeem to NC leaders
Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Front (J&K PDF) and former minister Hakeem Muhammad Yaseen on Monday urged senior National Conference (NC) leaders, including Srinagar Member Parliament, Aga Ruhullah Mehdi to protest against the controversial reservation policy outside Parliament in New Delhi rather than staging demonstrations on Srinagar streets.
In a statement issued here, Hakeem criticised the protests, terming them political theatrics rather than sincere efforts to address the issue. “Protesting on Srinagar streets instead of outside Parliament in Delhi, where the law was amended, is nothing but a political drama aimed at deceiving people. A genuine attempt to reverse the reservation policy would have been a protest in the national capital,” he said.
Yaseen said differences of opinion are an essential aspect of democracy but added that the protests staged by NC leaders—including outside the Chief Minister’s residence—appear to be superficial. “The MP from Srinagar, being part of the ruling party, should focus on constructive actions in Parliament rather than street-level demonstrations for mere political mileage,” he said.
The PDF chief added. “The case is sub judice. Let all political parties wait for the final verdict from the judiciary instead of exploiting public emotions through protests aimed at short-term gains.”
The former minister expressed hope that the Cabinet Sub-Committee formed to address the issue will fulfill its promises. He appealed to all political parties to refrain from repeating the mistakes of the past and to adopt a balanced approach to reservations that secures the future of J&K’s youth, especially in government jobs and admissions to prestigious fields like medicine and engineering.
Hakeem also called for the removal of all disparities in the reservation policies of Jammu and Kashmir and the rest of the country. “The focus should be on addressing inequalities and ensuring a fair and equitable system for all segments of society,” he said.
