Jammu, June 18: Apni Party provincial president Jammu and former minister S Manjit Singh on Sunday demanded reservation up to 27 percent for the OBC community in J&K for their “social, economic and political upliftment”.
Addressing a meeting to discuss the issues and demands of OBC, the former minister raised his concern over the backwardness of the community which has a huge population and still they live in a miserable condition.
“Decades after hollow slogans and assurance given to them by the traditional political, these OBCs have been deprived of their constitutional rights in J&K,” he said and appreciated the leaders of OBC especially Bhagat Ram who was appointed as State Coordinator of OBC Wing.
On the occasion, Singh felicitated Bhagat Ram on being appointed as State Coordinator OBC Wing of Apni Party. He hoped that he would work among the marginalized section for their upliftment.
Manjit said Apni Party is committed to protect the rights of the people and community to ensure equality in the society which has been divided by the political parties for their political gains in elections. “The democratic system in India was aimed to protect and strengthen the rights of the marginalized sections of society but the political parties played a blame game in the last seven decades and did nothing for the upliftment of the OBC community. In J&K, they are deprived of their right to have 27% reservation like other parts of the country,” he added.
He said that “unlike traditional political parties”, the Apni Party has a clear stand with regard to the OBC community that they deserve 27% reservation in J&K and it must be granted to them as per the constitution. “There should not be any discrimination with the OBCs of J&K. When other states have given rights to the OBCs, similar rights should be extended to the erstwhile state,” he said, further expressing commitment for the social, economic, and political upliftment of the OBC community in J&K.
He said that the residential areas of OBC are underdeveloped. They mostly go outside J&K to work as labourers because of poor chances of employment in their home districts, or regions. He demanded that the Government of India should seriously look into the issues of the OBC and formulate a policy for improvement and promotion of education among the youth and employment by providing them the opportunity to get skilled courses.
