Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 13: Apni Party has urged Government to keep a column for Other Backward Class (OBC) community in scheduled census 2021 which will be conducted in J&K.
“It is a request to the Union Government and Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha to keep a separate column for OBC community in the census.
When other communities have been mentioned in the form, the OBC has been ignored. This community should be given their separate identity,” said Apni Party general secretary, Vikram Malhotra in a statement to the press.
Expressing shock over the ignorance of the community, Malhotra said that the community needs representation and proper reservation quota in J&K.
“In rest of the country, they have 27% reservation and in J&K, they are given 4% reservation,” said Malhotra.
He said that the promises that after abrogation of special status, the OBC would get their rights but all has proven false. He said that 25-30% of the OBC community lives in J&K and they should be given their rights.
Meanwhile, OBC State Coordinator, Madan Lal Chalotra said that the community has remained neglected from decades and political parties have exploited them for vote bank.
“The Government should enhance the reservation quota in J&K for the OBCs and give them their rights under the Indian constitution,” Chalotra added.
He said that the community is politically deprived and unrepresented even as the BJP was claiming to have fought for their rights.
“In BJP’s rule, the OBC community continues to enjoy discrimination and ignorance,” added Chalotra.
Gourav Kapoor, Abhay Bakaya, Vipul Bali, RK Lalotra and others were present on the occasion.
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