The students’ protest against the reservation near Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s residence in Srinagar on Sunday was called off after several students and political leaders, including the ruling National Conference MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi, were put under house arrest.
Ruhullah had announced that he would join the students in the sit-in against his own party’s Chief Minister.
Mehbooba Mufti’s daughter Iltija Mufti, disgruntled Srinagar MP Aga Ruhullah, PDP MLA Waheed Para and former Srinagar mayor Junaid Mattu said that they have been placed under house arrest to prevent them from joining the students’ protest.
These leaders had expressed solidarity with students who planned to sit on a peaceful protest at Gupkar Road and had announced their intention to join the agitation against the delay in rationalising the reservation policy, a year after CM Omar Abdullah formed a committee to address the issue.
The Open Merit Students Association, after the police crack down, announced on X, “There is no need for concern or panic. The sit-in meet-up planned for today has been cancelled due to circumstances beyond our control. Students should safely return to their hostels, libraries, or homes and continue with their routine.”
Gates of the Sher-e-Kashmir Park near Polo View were locked, and heavy security was deployed ahead of MP Aga Ruhullah’s sit-in protest scheduled for 11 am, as a few open merit women students reached the spot.’
Reacting to the issue, the Office of Aga Ruhullah wrote on X; “The Police has officially informed Hon’ble MP @RuhullahMehdi 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”.
The MP’s office last night wrote on X; “Armed police have been deployed outside the residence of Hon’ble MP @RuhullahMehdi. Is this a pre-emptive crackdown to silence a peaceful, pro-student demonstration? If yes, it exposes a disturbing fear of dissent. The authorities owe the public an explanation on what this deployment is for. Our plans for tomorrow stand”.
Criticising house arrest of leaders, Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq wrote on X, “The default response of those in authority to every issue in or about Kashmir is-use of force. Even if it is a peaceful sit-in by anxious students protesting a lopsided reservation policy jeopardising their future, demanding justice. Strongly condemn the house detention of leaders and activists supporting the students and some student leaders. This is a very important concern of people that needs redressal without delay, not reprisal, before it blows up. The elected Govt has a responsibility to fulfil in this matter. Besides the matter of harassment that Kashmiris in Haryana, Himachal and other parts of India are facing, also needs to be seriously taken up and addressed by them.”
Iltija Mufti wrote on X: “Like many others, I’ve also been placed under house arrest at Srinagar today. The insecurity & paranoia of the security agencies know 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 ?”
Criticising the government’s move, PDP MLA Waheed Para wrote on X; “The reservation policy has become an existential issue that strikes at the very foundation of the future of our younger generations. It has been over a year since we, along with students assembled outside the CM @OmarAbdullah’s residence”.
Former Srinagar mayor Junaid Azim Mattu also criticised the move. He wrote on X; “Various student leaders, including @themirmujeeb and @iamsahilparray, have been detained last night. Medical students have been detained at Kothi Bagh PS. Directions passed to restrict the movement of students out of hostels. A crackdown on students who are demanding their rights!”
After assuming office, the Chief Minister constituted a three-member Cabinet subcommittee to rationalise the open category quota to 50 per cent. The proposal has since been forwarded to the Lieutenant Governor.
In March last year, the Lieutenant Governor approved an additional 10 per cent reservation for newly included tribes, including Paharis, under the Scheduled Tribes category, and added 15 communities to the Other Backward Classes list. This led to a reduction in the share of open merit seats and triggered widespread protests by general category aspirants.
Advertisement
