Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 12: Amidst rumors of changes to reservation policies, the executive body of the All India Backward Classes Union (AIBCU), led by Chairman Mohammad Lateef Qureshi, convened to address concerns about amendments to the policy.
The body discussed the matter in detail and unanimously appealed to the current administration to grant Jammu and Kashmir’s Other Backward Classes (OBCs) a 27% reservation share as recommended by the Mandal Commission.
The AIBCU highlighted that since 1992, OBCs in Jammu and Kashmir have not received their rightful reservation due to Article 370.
Following the Article’s abrogation on August 5, 2019, the union argued there is now no legal obstacle to implementing the 1992 Supreme Court ruling on reservation quotas.
Speakers emphasized that OBCs, under the pretext of Article 370, have endured systemic neglect for decades, leading to generational setbacks in access to education and employment.
The AIBCU leaders stressed that no Government should deny constitutional rights to the underprivileged on the grounds of merit, asserting that all citizens have equal rights to education and professional opportunities within their respective reservation categories.
The AIBCU also criticized elected representatives who, they said, appear to disregard the rights of the disadvantaged.
The Union leaders urged these officials to appreciate the support of the general public and avoid overstepping their mandate.
The AIBCU called on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to address the historic injustices faced by J&K’s OBCs and implement the Supreme Court’s reservation guidelines.
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