Srinagar MP warns of fresh protests if reservation issue not resolved

Srinagar MP and National Conference (NC) leader Aga Ruhullah Mehdi has warned that he may hold protest—similar to last year—if the reservation issue in Jammu and Kashmir is not resolved before the upcoming Winter Session of Parliament concludes on December 19.

In 2024, the Union Territory administration under Lt Governor Manoj Sinha approved a 10 per cent reservation for the Pahari community, increasing the overall quota across categories. The decision sparked widespread protests from general-category students, who argued that the revised policy further diminished their chances in government recruitment.

Ruhullah, who has emerged as one of the NC’s sharpest critics, had joined student protests outside the Chief Minister’s residence in Srinagar last year. He has repeatedly supported the general-category candidates’ demand for a review of the reservation norms, accusing the UT administration of disregarding the concerns of educated unemployed youth.

In a detailed post on X, Ruhullah wrote, “What will it take for those in the government to understand the agony and hopelessness that our aspiring youths are facing?”

“What will make them understand that this is suffocating an entire young generation and pushing them to the wall? Doesn’t even today’s case in Vaishno Devi University about the students with merit open their eyes to the urgency of resolving this matter and giving relief to our youth?”

Following the last year’s demonstration, the government had set up a Cabinet sub-committee to examine the grievances raised by various sections regarding the existing reservation policy. The sub-committee was asked to submit its findings within six months.

On October 16, Omar Abdullah announced that the Cabinet had accepted the committee’s report and forwarded it to the Lieutenant Governor for approval.

However, NC leader has criticised the delay. “Last year they said six months. Those six months have turned into a year. A few weeks ago, before the Budgam Assembly election, they said the matter would be resolved in a few days, without clarifying whether anything had actually been done. Now those few days have stretched into more than a month,” Ruhullah said.

“Even if they resolve the issue in the future—which I think is unlikely—how will they compensate for the years already lost and the vacancies that have already lapsed?” he asked.

Ruhullah also expressed frustration over what he described as political interference and personal egos hindering the process. “Is this entire generation being punished because I have been speaking for them? Alright, I will pull myself out of this issue for a month. Meet the students, resolve the issue rationally, take them into your fold. Curse me and turn them against me, but please resolve this issue which concerns their careers,” he said.

The MP warned that if the matter remains unresolved after the Parliament session concludes on December 20, he will join the students again. “If this issue is not resolved by December 20, I will sit with them the way we did last December. And this time, it will not be for a single day,” he said.