Sets 6-month timeframe, says “no need for intermediaries”
SRINAGAR: A delegation of five students was allowed inside the Chief Minister’s residence to discuss the concerns over the reservation policy directly with Omar Abdullah.
The delegation was allowed to meet the Chief Minister when the senior National Conference (NC) leader Aga Ruhullah Mehdi led a protest against the squeezing of quota for the general category.
A five-member delegation was constituted during the protest including one each from Central, South and north Kashmir and one from Jammu division. The delegation met the Chief Minister to express their concerns and put forth their demands.
After the meeting, one of the student representatives briefed the media about the deliberations. “We spoke with him for half an hour, presenting all our queries and citing official data to suggest possible solutions. CM Sahib gave actionable points. For instance, he mentioned issues related to the 10% EWS quota and Rule 17, which fall within the government’s domain and can be addressed immediately. He assured that these matters would be resolved. He also mentioned that the subcommittee will address other broader concerns in a time-bound manner, promising a resolution within six months. However, he clarified that six months is the upper limit and decisions can happen earlier.”
The delegation also raised the issue of the 76.5% open category reservation. The Chief Minister reportedly assured them that while the matter would go through a judicial process, the government would not hide behind the excuse of sub judice status. “He assured us that the subcommittee would consult all stakeholders and ensure a fair and just solution,” the student representative said.
Despite these assurances, concerns remain among the students. The six-month timeframe has drawn apprehension as major exams and recruitment cycles are ongoing. “Omar Sahib himself mentioned inclusivity but suggested that faster decisions are needed for the process to be meaningful. Regarding recruitment, no specific assurances were given,” the representative added.
Later in the day, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah took to his official X (formerly Twitter) handle to address the issue and hinted at his disapproval of Aga Ruhullah’s involvement in the demonstration. In his post, Omar Abdullah stated, “Today I met the representatives of the Open Merit Students Association. The beauty of democracy is the right to be heard & dialogue in a spirit of mutual cooperation. I have made certain requests of them & given them a number of assurances.”
The tweet, while making a commitment to resolving the students’ concerns, appeared to be a subtle critique of Ruhullah’s role in organizing the protest, signaling possible friction within the party. “This channel of communication will remain open without any intermediaries or hangers-on,” Omar wrote on X.