Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 4: Public Welfare Forum (PWF) today expressed grave concern over what they alleged discrimination meted out to Residents of Backward Areas (RBA) in reservations.
Talking to reporters here, today Amarnath Thajkur, chairman of the Forum along with its prominent members took the successive governments to task for reduction in reservation quota for RBA. He said it is unfortunate that RBA reservation as reduced from 20 per cent to 10 percent by BJP led Government in J&K after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2020and has been now further reportedly decided to be slashed from 10 percent to seven percent.
He said similarly, EWS reservation has been proposed to be reduced from 10 percent to three percent by the present Government. Terming these proposals grossly unjust, discriminately and unacceptable to the people residing in RBA areas , Thakur made an appeal to Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah , his Cabinet colleagues and Leader of Opposition and all legislators of the UT Assembly to introduce a comprehensive bill on reservations in the Assembly to ensure equal, fair and Constitutional justice to all reserved categories.
He also urged the Government to implement a rational and equitable reservation policy strictly in accordance with SC’s Constitutional judgment of 1992 in Indra Sawhney vs Union of India and SC seven judge Constitutional Bench judgement of August 1 of 2024 besides subsequent Constitutional clarifications up to December 2025.
Thakur said in this regard memorandums have already been submitted to several elected representatives, including independent MLA Bani , Dr Rameshwar Singh who had assured ST reservation to the public of Lohai Malhar and Bani Sub Division during 2024 Assembly elections. Memorandums have also been submitted to various other MLAs of BJP, NC as well as CPI (M) in this regard.
He demanded that the existing 10 percent reservation of RBA be merged with ST2 and that ST 2 reservation be enhanced from 10 percent to 20 percent there by ending long standing injustice of RBA reservation which is not recognised at All India level, he added.
He said RBA reservation is not applicable in Central Government recruitments, national educational institutions, universities or scholarship schemes, resulting in systematic deprivation of RBA students and youth.
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