Anantnag, Apr 05: “The government is committed to submitting the reservation report within six months, and the work will be completed within that time frame. People should not pay attention to cheap politics,” cabinet minister Sakina Itoo said on Saturday.
Itoo, who is the health as well as social welfare minister, said the issue of reservation is a sensitive one. “Many youth and educated people are concerned about it,” she said while addressing a press conference here.
She said, “You must remember, when Omar Abdullah’s government was formed, people trusted him. He received deputations who demanded focus on the reservation policy. Taking the matter seriously, he formed a sub-committee the very next day.”
Itoo said three ministers are part of the sub-committee. “They are actively conducting meetings and reviewing the representations we are receiving. The seriousness lies not just in the formation of the committee, but also in setting a six-month timeline for its report,” she added.
“One can imagine how seriously the Chief Minister is taking this. We update him daily on how many representations have been examined, progress made, and the expected developments,” Itoo added.
The minister said this is the first time a sub-committee has been given a fixed mandate of six months. “Unfortunately, some politicians are always ready to criticise. During the assembly session, a question on reservation was raised—but the person who raised it didn’t even attend. If he truly cared, he would have shown up and asked questions directly,” she said.
Sakina said the committee formed by the Chief Minister is working with sincerity. “I held a meeting yesterday and will meet more deputations tomorrow. Regular discussions are ongoing. Another meeting is scheduled at 10 am tomorrow at SKICC,” she said.
Regarding the affidavit submitted in court, Sakina said, “Today there was news about it and he (without naming People’s Conference Chief Sajad Lone) is still doing politics on Twitter. This morning, he tweeted about the department’s affidavit, claiming the policy is correct. But if the government wasn’t committed, why would we form a committee or set a six-month deadline?”
She said the affidavit was presented in a different context in court, but the government remains committed to implementing the report and fulfilling its promise.
“To those who have met us, those who will, and those who’ve sent in their representations—I assure you, we are examining every submission. Don’t fall for attempts to mislead. If required, the government will submit another affidavit to clarify or rectify any issues,” Itoo said.
The minister added, “We are sincere and won’t mislead anyone. And to those trying to mislead people, I say: wait for six months. If you lack patience, visit a doctor or psychiatrist. They’ll prescribe something to help you develop the patience needed.”
