We feel betrayed: Open merit students write to CM Omar Abdullah

Following the Jammu and Kashmir Cabinet’s decision to refer the reservation report—drafted by a cabinet sub-committee—to the Law Department for legal opinion, a group representing open merit students has written a letter to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, saying they feel “betrayed, not just politically, but emotionally.”

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In their open letter to the CM, the students—who belong to the general category—reminded him of his assurance given on December 23, 2024. “You promised a resolution and told a student delegation that the reservation policy issue would be resolved within six months,” the letter states. “You said it clearly, not vaguely. And we believed you. So we waited.”

The students wrote that throughout the six-month period, which ended on June 10, they stood by the CM’s word and reassured others that a resolution was forthcoming. “We told everyone that the Chief Minister himself had committed to a timeframe. But when the deadline passed, there was no public statement, no access to the report. The worst blow came when in the cabinet meeting, instead of implementing or even debating the report, your government sent it to the Law Department,” they said.

They questioned why legal vetting was not initiated earlier. “If legal opinion was necessary, why was it not sought during the drafting process? Why wait until the last day? One of your ministers even said, ‘We don’t know how long the Law Department will take.’ Then why commit to a six-month resolution?”

Expressing disappointment, the students said, “We are not just students—we are young citizens who still believe politics can be clean and that words should mean something. We feel betrayed—not just politically, but emotionally. This movement was never about politics. We never asked for favoritism. We asked for fairness. And we asked you to honour your own word.”

They further alleged that their attempts to engage with the government have been met with silence. “Your advisors don’t respond. Your ministers ignore our calls. Despite repeated efforts, we are unable to meet you. If students—who peacefully campaigned for justice in the reservation policy—are not even granted a meeting, what kind of governance is this?” the letter asks.

Still, the group maintained a conciliatory tone. “We are not here to fight. We are here to fix. Let us speak to you directly. Let us sit together and find a way forward. We understand this is a complex and sensitive issue. We understand political compulsions.”

The students warned that continued inaction would send a damaging message. “If you fail to act now, it won’t just be a broken promise—it will be a message to the youth of J&K that political promises mean nothing.”