Mehbooba Mufti Criticizes National Conference Over Reservation Policy Stagnation

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti criticized the National Conference for not addressing the reservation issue in Parliament, urging for rights based on population. She joined the student protest demanding fair representation and called on the J&K government to fulfill its promises and resolve the reservation policy controversy promptly.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Mehbooba Mufti has openly criticized the National Conference's Members of Parliament for their failure to discuss the reservation issue in Parliament. She emphasized that rights should be distributed according to population, clarifying that her demand isn't about stripping anyone of rights but ensuring fair allocation. Mufti highlighted that the National Conference garnered votes in the Lok Sabha elections by vowing their MPs would address this matter, yet they haven't done so, according to a statement she made to ANI.

Mufti further urged for immediate action to ensure fair representation for open merit candidates. She raised concerns about the Chief Minister's response to youth protests, noting his advice to await the court's decision in six months falls short of government responsibility. Mufti argued that a government that secured a significant number of seats should proactively resolve the issue rather than rely on court timelines.

Adding momentum to the protests, PDP member Iltija Mufti joined students outside Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's Srinagar residence, where a review of the new reservation policy was demanded. Iltija Mufti insisted the protests weren't political maneuvers, arguing that Jammu and Kashmir's politics focuses excessively on Article 370, ignoring youth demands. She called for an equitable, non-discriminatory reservation system, pressing the government, elected with a strong mandate, to uphold its commitments.

National Conference MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi participated in the student-led protests as well, urging the J&K government to rationalize the reservations. Mehdi stressed the importance of prioritizing public aspirations and warned against depicting protesting students as divisive. He thanked Iltija Mufti for backing the movement and called upon the government to remember its responsibility to the people it represents.

Responding to the pressure, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah invited students for discussions at his office, emphasizing the importance of dialogue and mutual cooperation in democracy. He assured open communication with the Open Merit Students Association, reflecting a willingness to address their concerns without intermediaries.

The ongoing contention revolves around the new reservation policy introduced before the assembly elections, which decreased the general category quota in jobs and educational admissions while increasing it for specific groups, thus sparking the protests.

(With inputs from agencies.)