Srinagar: Amid the ongoing protest outside Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s official residence, a response was received from the CM’s house, offering to meet a delegation of students to address concerns over the contentious Reservation Policy.
Member of Parliament Aga Ruhullah, who is leading the protest, announced that a group of five students—representing central, south, and north Kashmir, as well as Jammu and one female student—would meet with the Chief Minister to present their demands.
“We will not move from here until the student delegation returns after their meeting with the Chief Minister,” Ruhullah said.
The protest, which started from Burn Hall School and reached the CM’s residence in Gupkar, saw the participation of political figures, including PDP leaders Waheed ur Rehman Parra and Iltija Mufti.
Various legislators, such as Sheikh Khursheed, also joined the demonstration, which focused on demanding a rational and fair reservation policy for Jammu and Kashmir.
The growing dissatisfaction stems from the recent reservation policy introduced by the lieutenant governor-led administration. The policy, implemented before the assembly elections earlier this year, reduced the share of the general category to 40%—affecting the majority of the population—while increasing the reservation for reserved categories to 60%. This shift has sparked concerns over fairness and proportional representation.
Earlier, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq also expressed his willingness to join the protest if allowed by authorities, signaling broader support for the cause. Waheed ur Rehman Parra stressed upon the demand for a time-bound revocation of the policy, advocating that merit holders should not be disadvantaged by the new system.
