Srinagar: The Opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP) has mounted its criticism against the National Conference government in Jammu and Kashmir over the reservation row after NC MP Aga Ruhullah protested against chief minister Omar Abdullah on Monday.
PDP president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti lashed out at the NC government saying that the party has got a majority in the legislature and also has three members in the parliament.
“But leaving a serious issue like reservation up to the court to decide is very unfortunate. The government should bring an SRO to address the issue and save the future of the general category population,” Mehbooba told reporters in Srinagar.
She said the issue is very grave as it has made hard work of students meaningless and merit has been murdered.
Reacting the protest by NC MP Aga Ruhullah outside the official residence of chief minister Omar Abdullah on Monday, Mehbooba said that Ruhullah should have raised the issue in parliament rather than holding a protest at Gupkar.
“National Conference members in the parliament have not spoken about the issue in the Lok Sabha even as people have given them a mandate to speak for their issues. NC has a majority government in Jammu and Kashmir and people hoped that it would review the reservation rules in the three months, but the government is pushing the youth to the wall,” she said.
Ruhullah on Monday took to streets against the reservation rules and protested along with scores of students for amending the reservation laws. The NC MP from Srinagar parliament seat was joined by opposition legislator Waheed Para, Mehbooba Mufti's daughter Iltija Mufti and independent legislator Sheikh Rahid and other activists.
Later, around 12 students met the chief minister at his residence in Srinagar who said that the CM has given them six months time to address the issue, while the CM said he “made certain requests of them & given them a number of assurances.”
“Why did the chief minister give the students, who protested outside his residence on Monday, six months' time (to review the reservation rules? Because the CM knows that by six months the High Court will give a ruling over the petition of the reservation,” she said.
The reservation row has caught the government in a tight spot with opposition and Open Merit students demanding the review of the rules which were amended by the BJP government in 2020 and later further changed by the Lieutenant Governor administration in 2021. The Omar-led government has formed a cabinet sub-committee which will review the rules. The NC has also promised in its manifesto to review the reservation.
NC's alliance partner, Congress, which is demanding caste census across the country, then speaking openly against the reservation, also criticized Ruhullah for taking to streets against his own government.
“Instead of protesting outside the chief minister's residence, Ruhullah Sahab should have talked to his own party which is in the government. These protests are nowadays done for camera optics rather than for taking up the people's issues,” Congress General Secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir told reporters in Srinagar.
Read more:
- J&K Reservation Policy Row: NC MP Ruhullah, PDP MLA Waheed Parra Join Hands; Hold Protest Outside CM Omar Abdullah’s Residence
- PDP Sounds Alarm Over 'Cash Crunch' In Jammu And Kashmir Treasuries
