Srinagar, Dec 26 (KNO): Member Parliament and senior National Conference leader, Aga Ruhullah Mehdi, on Friday said that if the government fails to engage with protesting students and unemployed youth on the reservation issue till Saturday, he would join their sit-in on Sunday.
Aga Ruhullah, according to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), wrote: "I have neither forgotten nor left the students alone. I urge the government once again to talk to the students and apprise them of the measures and decisions taken to resolve this issue. If that does not happen till Saturday, I will not leave our youth and students helpless. I will walk with them and sit with them this coming Sunday at the same place as we did the last year on 23rd December to make them heard."
The statement has brought back memories of the December 23 protest last year, when the NC parliamentarian, along with unemployed youth and leaders from different political parties, staged a sit-in outside the official residence of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
The demonstration had received support from the Peoples Democratic Party, with its MLA Waheed Para joining the protest, while Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had also extended support to the demand for rationalising reservations.
After assuming office, the government had constituted a cabinet sub-committee to examine the reservation policy and suggest corrective measures. Following several months of deliberations, the recommendations were finalised and forwarded to the LG’s office.
Meanwhile, National Conference leader and Zadibal MLA Tanvir Sadiq while reacting to Ruhullah’s post said, “The proposal stands already cleared by the cabinet. I appeal to the Lieutenant Governor’s administration to expedite its approval so that stalled recruitment processes could move forward.”
Ruhullah has emerged as one of the most vocal critics of the existing reservation framework in Jammu and Kashmir.
He has repeatedly called for a rationalisation of quotas in line with population proportions and Supreme Court guidelines, which generally cap reservations at 50 per cent.
Following the formation of the National Conference government under Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in late 2024, a review of the policy was promised.
In December 2025, the Cabinet approved a revised reservation framework, including a reduction in quotas under categories such as Economically Weaker Sections and Reserved Backward Areas, with the stated aim of increasing seats available under Open Merit.
The proposal has since been forwarded to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for final approval.
Ruhullah has backed Open Merit candidates who contend that the current system, with reservations exceeding 60 per cent, significantly reduces their chances in government jobs and professional courses, including medical and police recruitments, where the Open Merit share in recent notifications has fallen to nearly 40 per cent.
Meanwhile, Education Minister Sakina Itoo accused Aga Ruhullah of creating confusion among educated unemployed youth through his statements.
She said the cabinet has already taken a decision on the reservation issue and the file was awaiting approval from the Lieutenant Governor. “We are functioning under the Union Territory framework and cannot make cabinet decisions public before the LG’s assent,” Itoo said.
She added that the youth were already under stress and such remarks only worsened the situation.
The minister suggested that Mehdi should take up the matter directly with the LG’s office to seek clarity on the pending approval—(KNO)