Srinagar, Dec 23: National Conference leader and Lok Sabha member from Srinagar Aga Ruhullah Mehdi led a peaceful protest outside the residence of the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to support the demand for “rationalisation” of reservations in Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking to reporters, Ruhullah said that the people’s aspirations must be a priority. “We formed this government, and it must work for the people. I do not want chaos, nor do I intend to divide my party,” he said, urging the government to address their grievances promptly.
Mehdi had on Sunday announced that he would be joining the student protest.
With the Centre granting reservation to Pahari-speaking people in Jammu and Kashmir, the open merit category has been reduced to 30 per cent while 70 per cent of seats are reserved for various communities.
Students, especially those undergoing training in medicine and surgery, have been protesting, saying the reservation policy promotes mediocrity where merit should reign supreme.
Soon after reaching outside the CM Residence, Ruhullah told reporters that a delegation of five students would meet the Chief Minister to discuss their demands. He vowed to remain on the streets until the students were satisfied with the government’s response.
Ruhullah, further, called for reservation quotas to be based on population proportions and aligned with Supreme Court guidelines. “We do not oppose reservations for deserving groups. However, irrational policies harm open-merit students and aspirants. We demand justice for all sections of society.”
Ruhullah reassured students of his support, stating that their grievances were genuine. “I promised to stand with the students, and I am here to ensure justice. My protest is not to create division but to achieve fairness. If anyone tries to disrupt peace in J&K, I will stand against them too,” he added.
While the protests continued, CM Omar Abdullah posted a famous quote from Rudyard Kipling on the social media platform X.
The message seemed directed at his own party members and supporters, emphasizing unity, and faith during challenging times. Through the poetic lines, Omar appeared to call for calm and steadfastness, asking his allies to trust the government’s intentions while it worked towards a solution.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah held a meeting with the student representatives at his Gupkar residence and assured a delegation of protesting students that the cabinet sub-committee formed to review the reservation policy in Jammu and Kashmir will submit its report within six months.
“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. This channel of communication will remain open without any intermediaries or hangers on,” Omar said in a Post on “X”.
Despite the CM’s assurance, the students insisted that the matter should be resolved within three months.
Earlier, students, joined by Ruhullah, marched through the streets of Srinagar, raising slogans and urging immediate action on reservation reforms. The protests gained public attention. The protesting students said that their next course of action will depend on the progress made by the government in addressing their demands.
Earlier in November, the Jammu and Kashmir government set up a sub-committee to review the reservation policy in the Union Territory, amid growing concerns from open category candidates. They have raised issues with the current 70% quota for reserved categories and called for a thorough reassessment of the policy.
The protest also saw participation from political leaders, including People’s Democratic Party Leader and Pulwama Waheed Para, Iltija Mufti, and Awami Ittehad Party Leader and MLA Langate Sheikh Khursheed.
