Why the demand to roll back J&K reservation policy has Omar Abdullah government in a bind
The National Conference cannot afford to anger groups in Pir Panjal, who benefit from the new quota, nor its supporters in the Valley, who oppose it.
Join our WhatsApp Community to receive travel deals, free stays, and special offers!
- Join Now -
Join our WhatsApp Community to receive travel deals, free stays, and special offers!
- Join Now -
In March, the Jammu and Kashmir government increased the percentage of reserved categories in the union territory to 60%. It did so by slicing away 10% of the jobs and educational opportunities that general category candidates would compete for.
The decision did not go down well with the majority of the population, as Scroll had reported. In its manifesto for the Assembly elections, the National Conference had promised that the reservation policy “will be reviewed and any injustice and imbalance will be corrected.”
Since taking over the reins of the union territory in mid-October, the National Conference government has been besieged by demands from the general category aspirants to roll back changes in the reservation policy. “The youth, especially those belonging to the open category, feel that they are not getting their rights,” Chief Minister Omar Abdullah told reporters.
One of the first decisions of the Abdullah government was to set up a cabinet sub-committee to review the reservation policy for jobs and education in Jammu and Kashmir.
But observers in Jammu and Kashmir say that is easier said than done.
“Any reservation once given is very difficult to withdraw,” said Rekha Chowdhary, former professor of political science at University of Jammu. “The National Conference might have started with constituting...
