India
NC unlikely to roll back 10% ST quota for Paharis in J&K – Times of India
The reservation, unveiled ahead of the J&K Assembly elections, the results of which were declared on Tuesday, was seen as part of the political quid pro quo struck by the BJP with the Pahari community. But the BJP failed to win in Rajouri and Poonch areas, which are populated by Paharis.
The quota issue remains a burning feeling among the youth and the unreserved classes as the total reservation in J&K has increased to 70%, significantly reducing the scope for open merit. During the election campaign, demonstrators had demanded that the new government reverse the policy, with claims that the 10% quota would be disproportionately higher for the beneficiaries’ population.
Of the eight seats in Poonch and Rajouri, the BJP could win only Kalakot, while NC won four, two going to the Independents and one to the Congress. These are the areas where BJP had high hopes of expanding its footprint.
Ahead of the elections, the UT administration announced 10% reservation for Paharis and three other communities, in addition to the existing 10% ST reservation that includes Gujjars/Bakarwals.
NC sources ruled out a review, arguing that quotas are a sensitive issue and that taking back what has been given could trigger protests that would not be in the interests of the new regime.
“I don’t think we can break the status quo. It will cause headaches and open a new political front. As is the case now, with what the Center has done to the power of the state, many fronts are already open.” said a top NC official.
The BJP’s inability to take advantage of the Pahari reservation brought a sense of relief to the NC and Congress, which were “worried about its impact” in the elections. Their biggest fear was that it could help the BJP win in the Muslim areas of Poonch and Rajouri, at the expense of the ‘secular’ parties. Finally, the BJP was limited to 29 MLAs.
“We were concerned. Only Budhal in Rajouri has majority Gujjar community while the other seven seats have Paharis in higher numbers,” the NC official said, suggesting that the BJP could have won up to seven seats if Paharis had voted for it in large numbers . songs in Nowshera, Poonch, Mendhar, Rajouri, Thanamandi and Surankote.
Now, the BJP’s failure has become a source of satire on social media, with people mocking the party’s lust for power to fool it into giving a 10% quota.
