• Source:JND

Open Merit Students Protest: Ahead of the students’ sit-in protest over the rationalisation of reservations in Jammu and Kashmir, the administration has put several leaders under house arrest.

J&K police have detained Aga Ruhullah Mehdi, Srinagar constituency in the Lok Sabha from the National Conference and Waheed Para, PDP MLA from Pulwama, in their homes. The leaders said that a heavy contingent of JK police and security forces has been deployed outside their homes to stop them from joining the sit-in protest by students.

Open merit students had announced a sit-in protest at Polo View in Srinagar on Sunday to register their objection against the delay in the rationalisation of reservations.

“Armed police have been deployed outside the residence of Hon’ble MP @RuhullahMehdi,” Mehdi’s office has posted on X, with pictures of police vehicles deployed outside his residence.

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“Is this a pre-emptive crackdown to silence a peaceful, pro-student demonstration? If yes, it exposes a disturbing fear of dissent. The authorities owe the public an explanation on what this deployment is for. Our plans for tomorrow (Sunday) stand”.

PDP’s Para has been vocal about the right of open merit students and has also been put under house arrest. “In the middle of the night, @parawahid has been put under house arrest. Why is a peaceful protest for students’ rights being weaponised?,” the PDP said in a post on X.

Why Are Open Merit Students Protesting In Jammu-Kashmir

The open merit students, who form a chunk of the student population in the valley, have been demanding rationalisation of reservation in the UT for almost a year now. Both NC and PDP had promised the rationalisation of reservations in their election manifesto.

What Is The Current Reservation Policy

Under the current reservation policy, less than 40 per cent have been kept for open merit candidates, while over 60 per cent are reserved for different reserved categories.

After strong pressure by the open merit students and their own MP Ruhullah, the NC formed a cabinet sub-committee to look into the issue. According to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, the cabinet has approved the recommendations of the sub-committee, and the file has been sent to Lt Governor Manoj Sinha.

What Is The Cabinet's Recommendation On Reservation Policy

The cabinet recommended 50 per cent reservation for open merit and reserved categories each. To increase the seats for open merit candidates, the cabinet has recommended slashing seats under the Residents of Backwards Areas (RBA) and Economically Weaker Section (EWS) and shifting them to the open merit quota.

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“I have neither forgotten nor left the students alone. I urge the government once again to talk to the students and uprise them of the measures and decisions taken to resolve this issue,” Ruhullah said. “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 on this coming Sunday at the same place as we did the last year on 23rd December to make them heard,” Ruhullah said two days ago.


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