A day after Omar Abdullah's cabinet announced the formation of a sub-committee to take a "holistic view" on the reservation, BJP leader and a Pahari activist Murtaza Khan on Saturday cautioned the Chief Minister against playing with fire on this highly sensitive issue.
"We welcome the decision of the formation of the cabinet sub-committee to examine the existing reservation policy but one thing is very much clear any move to touch with the existing reservation quote of Pahari-speaking people would be opposed tooth and nail", said Murtaza Khan, who contested the recently held Assembly elections on BJP mandate from Mendhar seat.
Khan issued a stern warning to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday, cautioning him against altering the existing reservation quota for Pahari-speaking people. His statement came a day after the Jammu and Kashmir cabinet announced the formation of a sub-committee to take a "holistic view" of the state's reservation policy.
Khan expressed deep concerns over the potential impact of the sub-committee's review. "We welcome the decision to form a cabinet sub-committee to examine the current reservation policy," he said. "However, let me make one thing very clear: any attempt to tamper with the existing reservation quota for Pahari-speaking people will be met with fierce resistance", he asserted
Describing the issue as "highly sensitive," Khan urged the Chief Minister to tread carefully, warning that any misstep could ignite widespread unrest among the Pahari-speaking community.
"Playing with fire on such a delicate matter could have far-reaching consequences," he cautioned, signaling the determination of the community to protect their existing rights.
Omar Abdullah forms a Sub-Committee to review the reservation policy.
In the midst of a heated debate over the current reservation policy, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday announced the formation of a Cabinet sub-committee comprising three ministers to take a comprehensive look at reservations in government jobs. The aim is to ensure justice for all while safeguarding individual rights.
"The Cabinet has set up a sub-committee of three ministers to examine the reservation policy. They will review past developments, assess recent Supreme Court rulings, and determine whether we have progressed or if the situation remains unchanged," Omar stated in response to queries about the reservation controversy.
The Chief Minister emphasized that the committee would ensure justice is delivered to everyone without infringing on anyone's rights. "The committee has been given time to complete its review and will submit a report to the Cabinet, after which a decision will be made," he added.
Earlier, Omar acknowledged the ongoing discussions about reservation. "Youth are facing difficulties, and complaints are being made. Our young people, particularly those from the open category, feel their rights are being overlooked. At the same time, those who have been brought into the reservation ambit do not want any reduction in their rights," he said.
The current reservation policy has faced sharp criticism after the National Conference government referred 575 lecturer posts in the School Education department to the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) for recruitment. Out of these, only 238 were allocated to the general category, while the remaining 337 seats were reserved for different categories.
Similarly, the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) recently issued a notification for filling 669 Sub-Inspector posts in the J&K Police, with just 267 posts in Open Merit and the remaining 402 reserved for different categories. This sparked outrage among students and opposition leaders, who have demanded a policy overhaul.
10 percent reservation was granted to Pahari-speaking people
Earlier this year, the Union Territory administration, led by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, granted a 10 percent reservation to the Pahari community, raising the total reserved seats in government jobs to 60 percent, leaving only 40 percent for general category candidates. According to the 2011 census, around 69 percent of J&K's population belongs to the general category.
The National Conference (NC), ahead of the Assembly elections, promised in its manifesto to review the reservation policy to address perceived imbalances.
Senior PDP leader and MLA Pulwama Waheed Para called the development "shocking," questioning why the NC-led government continues with the BJP-introduced reservation policy.
"Another day, another shocker! Out of 575 lecturer posts referred to JKPSC for recruitment, only 238 are for open merit students, while 337 are reserved," Para recently wrote on X, adding, "This injustice needs to stop!" He urged Omar Abdullah to revamp the reservation policy strictly according to population numbers.
Recently, NC's Lok Sabha member from Srinagar, Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, said he had discussed the issue with the Chief Minister and was assured that the government would decide to rationalize the reservation policy soon. "I would request all of you to wait until I attend the Parliament session, which starts on November 25 and concludes on December 22. If the decision is not taken by then, I will sit with all of you outside the residence or office of the Chief Minister," he recently wrote on X.
