Put in an embarrassing situation by the ruling National Conference MP Ruhullah Mehdi, who has announced to stage a protest along with unemployed youth on Monday outside Gupkar Road residence of the Chief Minister for rationalization of reservation in government jobs, CM Omar Abdullah on Sunday said that his government has not ignored or swept the issue under the carpet.

Ruhullah, who had given a month’s time to his own party’s CM to revamp the high reservation quota that has left little scope for general category candidates seeking government jobs, earlier in the morning announced that he would stage a protest outside Omar’s Srinagar residence tomorrow.

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The NC had in its poll manifesto said the party would take steps to rationalise the job quota.

Responding to the MP’s announcement, Omar wrote on X: “I understand the emotions surrounding the reservation issue. JKNC had committed to examining all aspects of it in our manifesto released before the assembly elections. It is as a continuation of this commitment that a cabinet sub-committee was constituted to move towards fulfilling this promise. That sub-committee was only recently notified & is in the process of starting its work by engaging with all stakeholders. In the meantime the reservation policy has also been challenged in the Hon’ble High Court of JK&L. We will, of course, be bound by any judgement when the final legal options have been exhausted.”

“It has come to my attention that a protest is being planned in Srinagar to highlight the sense of injustice surrounding the reservation policy. Peaceful protest is a democratic right & I would be the last person to deny anyone that right but please protest knowing that the issue has not been ignored or swept under the carpet. Your government is doing what any responsible government would do – making sure everyone is heard & a fair decision arrived at after completing due process,” added Omar.

Earlier, NC MP Ruhullah wrote on X: “Today marks the date I had committed to stand with those whose voices demand rationality in the reservation policy. In my response to a post on X (Twitter) by a concerned citizen, I urged everyone to wait until 22nd December to give the elected government time to address this issue. I also said that if the matter was not resolved by then, I would join you in protest outside the CM’s residence or office.”

He further wrote: “22nd December ends tonight. Over the past month, I’ve observed a range of reactions to the formation of the sub-committee. To those who believe that the issue remains unaddressed in a satisfactory manner: I stand by my commitment. Tomorrow, I will join the people in a peaceful and dignified attempt to demand answers on their issues from the government.”

“I request all those voluntarily coming to maintain civility and focus on raising genuine demands for a rational reservation policy. To those who seek to exploit this issue for political gains: I welcome you to step out tomorrow and step away from rhetoric. Show your sincerity where it matters—the streets. 2:00 PM | Gupkar Road | Outside the Chief Minister’s Residential Office,” he added.

Meanwhile, the growing demand for revamping the high percentage of reservation in government jobs in Jammu and Kashmir is bound to take a political turn with the ruling National Conference MP Ruhullah Mehdi announcing that he will sit on dharna with the protestors outside the residence of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in support of the demand of rationalization of reservation.

Unrest among the unemployed youth had triggered after the J&K Public Service Commission recently advertised 575 posts of school lecturers out of which only 238 were for open candidates while 337 were for the reserved categories.

The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) has announced to hold a peaceful sit-in protest against the ”unjust reservation policy in Jammu and Kashmir”.

The reservation quota was further enhanced by the BJP government at the Centre, before the Lok Sabha polls, by granting reservation in jobs to various additional categories.

The NC in its Assembly election manifesto had promised relook at the reservation quota. The Omar Abdullah government, a few days ago, increased the upper age limit of various categories to enable more youths to compete for government jobs.

The central BJP leadership has already announced that the UT government will not be allowed to withdraw the reservations sanctioned by the Centre.