Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 3: The General Category People’s Front (GCPF) held a meeting under the chairmanship of its Vice Chairman, Jagdish Dogra here today to discuss the challenges being faced by the general category population.
Addressing the meeting, GCPF President Yash Paul Sharma alleged that the Government was promoting casteism and communalism through its reservation policy.
He said the policy had led to social division and called for equal rights, fair governance, and an end to caste-based privileges, quotas, and concessions.
Sharma expressed dismay over the continuation of caste-based reservations without periodic review and accused successive Governments of encouraging vote-bank politics that had deprived nearly 30 Crore voters of their right to contest elections.
He demanded a comprehensive review of the existing reservation system, exclusion of the creamy layer from its benefits, and strict adherence to the 50% ceiling to safeguard meritocracy.
Sharma also criticized the alleged misuse of the SC/ST Atrocities Act and urged that it be replaced with a National Atrocities Act to ensure justice and prevent exploitation.
Speaking on the occasion, GCPF leaders Deepak Khajuria and Bhushan Pargal claimed that political considerations and vote-bank interests were the reasons for the continuation of reservation even after 75 years of independence.
They termed reservation a system that breeds inequality and inefficiency.
Vice Chairman Jagdish Dogra said that caste-based discrimination had reached unprecedented levels, leaving the general category population feeling neglected and insecure.
He described casteism as a threat to national unity and integrity.
The meeting concluded with a resolution demanding the enactment of an ‘Equality Act’ to ensure justice for all citizens irrespective of caste or religion, and the removal of restrictions on Articles 14, 15, and 16 of the Constitution.
Others who spoke on the occasion included Romesh Chander, Bhopal Dutta, Bharat Bhushan, and VK Sharma.
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