Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Dec 17: The representative of the Gujjar-Bakarwal and OBC communities today termed the ongoing debate on the Reservation Policy misleading, noting that the actual percentage is 50-50 for reserved and open merit categories.
Addressing a press conference, Raja Aijaz, Chairman of the Pahari Culture and Welfare Forum, said that the existing scheme has been legally vetted and that efforts are being made to create divisions among the communities.
“There are certain forces behind the Reservation Policy debate, which has already been legally vetted,” he said. “The civil society and students are being used.”
Aijaz noted that under the Reservation Policy, the reserved category is not more than the open merit. “In this regard, the Government has formed a committee, and we welcome the move because it will clarify things,” he added.
Fayaz Ahmad Najar, president of the J&K OBC United Front, and Rafeeq Blote, a youth leader from the Gujjar-Bakarwal Front, spoke on the subject.
Aijaz said that the J&K Government can request the centre to ensure reservations according to population but cannot change anything because it has been approved by Parliament.
He stressed that the current reservation scheme is correct, not a 70:30 split, but 50:50. “The debate is misleading; there is already a cap.”
He urged those familiar with these matters to come forward and explain them, preventing attempts to sow differences.
“The order of the cabinet committee clearly states that it will address grievances,” he said. “We urge the committee to grant reservations according to the population ratio as per the 2025 census.”
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