'Not afraid of anyone's threats': Omar Abdullah rebuffs party MP Ruhullah Mehdi on reservation row

Srinagar, Dec 26 (IANS) J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday rebuffed the senior National Conference (NC) leader and MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi on the reservation issue in government jobs and professional colleges in J&K.

In his strongest reaction to the MP's statements on reservation, Abdullah said: "I am not afraid of anyone’s threats, nor will I take any wrong decision under pressure. I don’t know what you think of yourself."

The Chief Minister said matters like the reservation policy cannot be settled through intimidation or street pressure and must be addressed within the constitutional and legal framework after proper consultation with all the stakeholders.

His strong response came after Ruhullah Mehdi recently warned the government that if it fails to engage with protesting students by December 27, he would personally join their agitation.

The MP has been constantly blaming the NC's top leadership for having failed to fulfil promises made to the people in the 2024 election manifesto that brought the party to power in J&K.

Friday's developments have brought the relationship between Omar Abdullah, who is also the Vice President of the NC, and Ruhullah Mehdi into a face-off.

In order to increase the reservation quota for open merit candidates in J&K to 40 per cent, the state cabinet, headed by Omar Abdullah, has recommended slashing down the reservation quota under the Resident of Backward Area (RBA) by 3 per cent and that under the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) society by 7 per cent.

Once approved by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, the overall reservation for various categories in government jobs and professional colleges would be 60 per cent, while the remaining 40 per cent would be available to the open merit candidates in the UT.

At present, SCs and Other Backward Classes (OBC) have 8 per cent quota each, STs 20 per cent, EWS and RBA 10 per cent, and and residents of area adjoining the actual Line of Control/International Border (ALC/IB) 4 per cent. Besides, there is a 10 per cent horizontal reservation, including six per cent to ex-servicemen and four per cent to Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).

--IANS