NC Govt has taken steps towards rationalising job reservation: Omar Abdullah

Put in an embarrassing spot by the ruling National Conference's MP Ruhullah Mehdi who has announced to stage a protest along with unemployed youth on Monday outside the Gupkar Road residence of the chief minister for rationalisation of reservation in government jobs, CM Omar Abdullah on Sunday said that his government has not ignored or swept the issue under the carpet.

- STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE

Mr Ruhullah, who had given a month's time to his own party's CM to revamp the high reservation quota that has left little scope for general category candidates seeking government jobs, earlier in the morning announced that he would stage a protest outside Omar's Srinagar residence tomorrow.

The NC had in its poll manifesto said the party would take steps to rationalise the job quota.

Responding to the MP's announcement, Omar wrote on X: "I understand the emotions surrounding the reservation issue. JKNC had committed to examining all aspects of it in our manifesto released before the assembly elections. It is as a continuation of this commitment that a cabinet sub-committee was constituted to move towards fulfilling this promise. That subcommittee was only recently notified & is in the process of starting its work by engaging with all stakeholders. In the meantime the reservation policy has also been challenged in the Hon'ble High Court of JK&L. We will, of course, be bound by any judgement when the final legal options have been exhausted."

"It has come to my attention that a protest is being planned in Srinagar to highlight the sense of injustice surrounding the reservation policy. Peaceful protest is a democratic right & I would be the last person to deny anyone that right but please protest knowing that the issue has not been ignored or swept under the carpet. Your government is doing what any responsible government would do - making sure everyone is heard & a fair decision arrived at after completing due process," Mr Abdullah added.