Protest over reservation called off as leaders put under house arrest

A proposed sit-in against the reservation policy, scheduled to be held outside the Chief Minister’s residence in Srinagar on Sunday, was cancelled after several senior political leaders and student activists were placed under house arrest.

Among those confined were National Conference Member of Parliament Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, PDP MLA Waheed Para and other political figures. PDP leader Iltija Mufti, daughter of party president Mehbooba Mufti, was also reportedly placed under house arrest.

Students who had planned the demonstration cancelled the protest in the wake of the police action against political leaders. Several students were also reportedly detained.

Ruhullah had earlier warned his own party-led Union Territory government that he would proceed with the protest if there was no clarity on the reservation policy in Jammu and Kashmir. The National Conference leadership had responded by stating that the Cabinet had already amended the reservation framework and forwarded the proposal to the Lieutenant Governor for approval.

In 2024, the UT administration approved a 10 per cent reservation for the Pahari community, increasing the overall quota across categories. The decision triggered widespread protests by general category students, who argued that the revised policy further diminished their prospects in government recruitment.

In a post on X on Sunday, the office of Ruhullah stated: “The police has officially informed MP Ruhullah Mehdi that he has been placed under house arrest and is barred from stepping outside. We have also received reports late last night that students have been arrested and their families intimidated by the police. All this is because of them asking for a fair chance at success through a rational reservation policy.”

In a video message uploaded on X, Ruhullah questioned the authority behind the house arrests and detentions. “I expect an answer to this. I think this happened at the behest of the L-G. This cannot have happened on the orders of the elected government,” the MP said.

He also questioned his own party’s leadership over what he described as indefinite delays. “Is there a threshold time for waiting for approval of the proposal by the L-G? Will you wait for approval of the file till a specific time or is this a convenient escape route? Will you go to the L-G and fight for the rights?” Ruhullah asked.

PDP MLA Waheed Para, who was also confined to his residence, said in a statement that the reservation policy had become “an existential issue that strikes at the very foundation of the future of younger generations”.

He added that even if the elected government maintained that the matter was presently with the Lieutenant Governor, “there can still be no justification for withholding the report from public scrutiny”.

National Conference MLA and chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq questioned what he termed selective action by the authorities. “How was it acceptable for the very same people to march up to the gates of the CM’s residence earlier, yet today, when students seek a peaceful protest because a Cabinet decision is pending with Raj Bhavan, the authorities suddenly clamp down and stamp out dissent?” he asked.

Sadiq said the report had been finalised and sent. “At this point, the matter is no longer in the hands of the elected government, but we will continue to pursue it,” he added.