Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 16: The leaders of Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee belonging to SCs, STs and OBCs including other weaker sections of the State have strongly condemned the BJP-PDP Coalition Government in the State for its failure to protect the constitutional rights of all the reserved categories in the State.
In a joint statement issued here the Congress leaders said that the reservation to the weaker sections of the society in the J&K was introduced by the Congress party in 1970 by way of executive order to remove inequality, disadvantage and to achieve the aim of equality amongst weaker sections by giving a pushup to them.
Subsequently, in the year 1991 with the efforts of Congress party eight communities from Ladakh Division, Gujjar – Bakerwal and Gaddi-Sippies were declared as Scheduled Tribes by Govt of India with respect to J&K State.
The Congress leaders further said that there was no constitutional guarantees to weaker sections/reserve categories in the State. It is the Congress party which during its regime enacted the J&K Reservation Act 2004 and the rules were framed in 2005, wherein, for the first time in the State the Constitutional safeguards were granted to the various reserved categories.
They further added that the State Govt has failed to defend and protect its own legislation and handled such an important case in a most casual manner, even the top law officer of the State i.e. Advocate General did not choose to appear in the case. The State Govt has not produced any material before the Court.
The Congress leaders said that the number of vacancies meant for weaker sections are still lying unfilled in the State for want of suitable candidates which clearly indicates that the reserved categories are not adequately represented in the State services. They stressed the need and urged upon the State Govt to ensure social upliftment of weaker sections in the State at all levels including promotions, failing which the Congress party in the State will launch a State wide struggle to protect the rights of reserved categories.
The signatories to the statement included Rigzin Jora- Leader CLP, Aijaz Ahmed Khan, Tara Chand (Ex-DyCM), Mula Ram, Taj Mohi-ud-Din, Suman Bhagat, Ch Mohd Akram-MLA, Mumtaj Ahmed Khan-MLA, Asgar Ali Karblai-MLA, Dildan Namgiyal-MLA, Shah Mohd Choudhary, Shah Nawaz, Faqir Nath, Ch Bashir Naz, Swarn Lata, Kuldeep Raj Verma, Girdhari Lal Chalotra, Krishan Chander Bhagat, Ashok Dogra, Ch Zaffar Ullah, Subash Bhagat and others.
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