Bill seeks 60% reservation for open merit, 40% for reserved categories
Sumit Sharma
Jammu: Strong reactions erupted from SC, ST, and OBC organizations after NC MLA Dr. Bashir Ahmad Veeri submitted a bill in the J&K Legislative Assembly proposing changes in the reservation structure.
The bill seeks 60% reservation for Open Merit and 40% for reserved categories, triggering protests from various marginalized communities.
The All-India Confederation of SC/ST/OBC Organizations, led by State President R.K. Kalsotra, staged a protest against MLA Veeri, even burning his effigy.
Kalsotra warned that Dalit minorities would gherao the Assembly if the bill is not withdrawn.
He argued that SCs, STs, and OBCs, who make up 70% of the population, have been allocated only 16% reservation, while the remaining 30% population has been given 84% of the share.
He urged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to block the bill and instead introduce a revised version that ensures 10% reservation for SCs, 12% for STs, and 27% for OBCs.
Bansi Lal Chaudhary, Convener of OBC Mahasabha, strongly criticized the proposed Reservation Act Bill 2025, calling it exploitative.
He pointed out that the Indian Constitution provides reservation only for SCs, STs, and OBCs, yet in J&K, an additional reservation has been granted to the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), further reducing opportunities for marginalized groups.
Chaudhary emphasized the need for reserved seats for OBC candidates in the Legislative Assembly, citing the community’s 45% population share but a complete lack of representation in the House.
Kewal Krishan Fottra, Vice President of the All India Confederation of SC/ST/OBC Organizations, called for the elimination of caste-based discrimination, asserting that if caste-based inequality were eradicated, the need for reservation would naturally disappear. He also criticized the recent inclusion of 15 General category castes into the OBC list with an 8% reservation, arguing that it undermines the rights of the truly marginalized.
Fottra urged CM Omar Abdullah to reject the bill and prevent it from being tabled in the Assembly.
