Protests over quota policy foiled; Srinagar MP put under ‘house arrest’

The protesters have been seeking a rationalisation of the amended job reservation policy introduced by lieutenant governor-led administration last year which had squeezed the general category to below 40% in jobs and admissions, which form the majority of the population.

The authorities in Kashmir foiled the sit-in protest of open-merit students and job aspirants planned in Srinagar demanding rationalisation of reservation policy after putting Srinagar Member of Parliament (MP) Aga Ruhullah Mehdi, who was expected to lead the protest, and other political and student leaders allegedly under house arrest and deploying heavy security in the city centre, the leaders said on Sunday.

The authorities in Kashmir foiled the sit-in protest of open-merit students and job aspirants planned in Srinagar demanding rationalisation of reservation policy after putting Srinagar Member of Parliament (MP) Aga Ruhullah Mehdi, who was expected to lead the protest, and other political and student leaders allegedly under house arrest and deploying heavy security in the city centre, the leaders said on Sunday. (Representational image)

Ruhullah, who is a senior National Conference leader and also a critic of the party and CM Omar Abdullah for their alleged climb down on various poll promises, had Saturday announced that he will join the students outside the Abdullah’s residence for the protest like last year as he wanted the elected government to “apprise the students of the measures and decisions taken to resolve this issue” amid continuous issuance of job notifications while the reservation file submitted by cabinet sub committee is pending with LG office.

The protesters have been seeking a rationalisation of the amended job reservation policy introduced by lieutenant governor-led administration last year which had squeezed the general category to below 40% in jobs and admissions, which form the majority of the population.

There was heavy deployment of security forces at Polo View while the nearby Sheri Kashmir Park in Lal Chowk was locked to prevent a congregation of protesters and leaders at the start point.

“Last year we (students), Aga Ruhullah Mehdi and other political leaders protested outside CM residence. We were told that a committee will submit its report within six months. But till today we have not been told about the contents of the report. Our demand is rationalisation of reservation. If the population of open category people is 70%, why are we getting only 30% share (in jobs and admissions)? We are not against any community ,” said a protester Javed Hussain, a Kashmir University student.

During the night, the police were deployed outside the residence of Mehdi and other leaders to allegedly prevent them from joining the protests. Opposition PDP leaders Waheed Para and Iltija Mufti, who had also joined the protest last year, were also allegedly put under house arrest.

“The Police has officially informed Mehdi that he has been placed under house arrest and is barred from stepping outside. We have also received reports late last night that students have been arrested and their families intimidated by the police. All this is because of them asking for a fair chance at success through a rational reservation policy,” said the office of Mehdi in a post on X.

He claimed that from Saturday evening students were detained without any legal sanction. “There were excesses. Some students were called to police stations, else they were told their parents will be kept there. Some of our students were detained in their hostels. An atmosphere of intimidation was created,” he said and sought release of the students.

The administration and police are yet to issue any statement over the developments.

NC spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq has said that the Cabinet took a decision 25 days ago and sent the file to the L-G. “We all need to appeal to Lok Bhavan to accept the proposal at the earliest so that it can be implemented,” he said.

NC spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar said that when the party asked “them to lodge their protest outside LG residence, they had nowhere to hide.”

He also urged Lt Governor Manoj Sinha to immediately issue instructions to release all students detained for peacefully protesting against reservation policy in J&K.

Meanwhile, PDP leader Iltija Mufti also took to X over her house arrest. “Like many others I have also been placed under house arrest at Srinagar today. The insecurity & paranoia of the security agencies knows no bounds. This is the ‘normalcy’ in Naya Kashmir. An entire contingent of female police personnel is deputed at the gate to physically stop me. Care to explain under what grounds@JmuKmrPolice?,” she said.

Former Srinagar Municipal Committee (SMC) mayor Junaid Mattu said that there was a heavy JKP and CRPF deployment outside his residence ahead of his participation in the student sit-in.

Chief cleric of Jamia Masjid, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said that the ‘default response’ of those in authority to every issue in or about Kashmir is-’use of force’.

Inspector general of police, Kashmir, VK Birdi and SSP, Srinagar, GV Sundeep Chakravarthy could not be contacted despite repeated calls.

Late in the evening, the Open Merit Students Association, J&K thanked Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi for their “timely intervention, which helped secure the release of detained Open Merit student representatives.”