'Continuance of old reservation Act illogical'

Tribune News Service

Jammu, August 250

Enraged over the delay in implementing the Mandal Commission recommendation in J&K after the abrogation of Article 370, Other Backward Classes (OBCs) on Tuesday regretted that promises made to them on the floor of the Parliament were yet to be fulfilled.

“During a debate on the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5 and 6, 2019, the Union Government had promised to provide reservation to OBCs of J&K at par with other parts of the country,” said FC Satia, president, the All India Backward Classes Federation (AIBCF), after submitting a memorandum today to the Socially And Educationally Backward Classes Commission.

He said more than a year had passed, but no step had been taken to fulfil the promises.

“After the abrogation of Article 370, the OBCs were jubilant because they were hoping that all Central laws will be extended to J&K, and they will get their 27 per cent reservation. But, unfortunately, this has not happened,” Satia said.

“Reservation Act, 2004, which provides 2% reservation to OBCs, has been kept intact. The continuance of the old Reservation Act is totally illegal and illogical in the light of the fact that post the abrogation of Article 370, hundreds of Central laws have been extended to the UT of J&K,” he argued.

Kewal Fotra, Om Kataria and Balwant Kataria were part of the delegation which met the panel.