Srinagar, Dec 22: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said today that the Government is making sure that a fair decision is made on reservation policy after completing due process of consultation with every section of society.
The Chief Minister was responding to tomorrow’s proposed sit-in protest by Member Parliament and senior NC leader Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi outside CM residence in Srinagar.
Omar said that he won’t stop anyone from protesting. “Your Government is doing what any responsible Government would do – making sure everyone is heard & a fair decision arrived at after completing due process,” he said on X.
“It has come to my attention that a protest is being planned in Srinagar to highlight the sense of injustice surrounding the reservation policy,” he posted on X.
“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,” he added.
The Chief Minister stated that he understands the emotions surrounding the reservation issue, noting that “JKNC had committed to examining all aspects of it in our manifesto released before the Assembly elections.”
He stated that 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,” he stated.
He went on to state that the reservation policy has also been challenged in the High Court of JK&L. “We will, of course, be bound by any judgement when the final legal options have been exhausted.”
Ruhullah said he will facilitate a meaningful dialogue between the Government and the youth concerned about the existing reservation policy tomorrow outside the Chief Minister’s residence.
In a statement, Ruhullah said that what has been planned for tomorrow has been wrongly termed as a protest, which, he said, is “rather an attempt of initiating a meaningful dialogue and having the concerns about the policy addressed.”
“This is not a protest. The youth are concerned, and rightly so. Their concerns must be resolved, which I assured them even during the Parliamentary elections,” he said.
The MP added, “I want their issues to be heard and discussed. I want to assure them that I have not stepped aside regarding this matter.”
Through a post on his social media handles, Ruhullah said that over the past month, he has 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,” he wrote.
