Jammu, Mar 30 (KNO): The issue of reservation echoed in the Legislative Assembly on Monday, with Peoples Conference MLA Sajad Gani Lone stating that such disparity in recruitment has never existed between Kashmir and Jammu since 1947.
During Zero Hour, as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Lone drew attention of the Speaker towards the adjournment motion submitted by him, seeking discussion on Government’s failure to rationalise criteria for Economically Weaker Section category, which, he said, was restricting competitive space for Kashmiris.
The Speaker said that he doesn’t reject adjournment motion, but the parliamentary device used for it is not appropriate.
“You cannot bring an adjournment motion on the matter if legislation is required to correct the matter,” the Speaker ruled.
Lone contested the ruling, saying the issue is not wholly about reservation but about definition of the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS).
Pointing towards Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Satish Sharma, Lone said that as per his department, 37 lakh BPL population lives in Kashmir and 29 lakh in Jammu but as per Social Welfare Ministry 90 percent poor population is in Jammu and 10 percent in Kashmir.
“You have seen recent result of KAS and judicial service. This kind of disparity never existed between Jammu and Kashmir since 1947,” he said, adding that there should be a uniform definition for poverty.
Questioning criteria for EWS certificates, Lone said that as per government criteria, a person is a poor when he goes out to buy ration, but a rich when he applies for jobs.
“How it is possible? This is the same government. Everything we discuss here doesn’t end with legislation,” he said.
Lone warned that current EWS criteria result in massive injustice with Kashmiris in future recruitments,
“CM Sahib announces that 30000 jobs would be filled. EWS category will get 3000 jobs Kashmiris will not even get 100 jobs under EWS category,” he said, adding that as per food distribution data, 60 percent certificates should have been issued in Kashmir and 40 percent in Jammu.
Lone demanded that criteria for EWS should be changed and Kerala has linked with public distribution system data.
BJP MLA Narinder Singh Khalsa contested the claims of Lone, saying that PDS data cannot be used for issuance of EWS certificates.
The Speaker, however, told the BJP legislator that this was an issue between Lone and him.
“Don’t interfere. It is an issue between him and me,” the Speaker told him—(KNO)