National Conference leader and Member of Parliament Aga Ruhullah announced on Sunday that he would stage a “peaceful” and “dignified” protest outside the Chief Minister’s official residence on Gupkar Road, demanding fairness in the reservation policy.
He said he had urged the public to wait until December 22 to give the elected government time to address the issue.
“Today marks the date I had committed to stand with those whose voices demand rationality in the reservation policy,” he wrote on X. “In my response to a post on X by a concerned citizen, I urged everyone to wait until 22nd December to give the elected government time to address this issue. I also said that if the matter was not resolved by then, I would join you in protest outside the HCM’s residence or office.”
With the expiry of the deadline, Ruhullah confirmed that the protest would be held as planned.
“The deadline ends tonight, and I stand by my commitment. Tomorrow, I will join the people in a peaceful and dignified attempt at 2 pm outside the Chief Minister’s official residence to demand answers on their issues from the government,” he said.
He acknowledged that despite the formation of a sub-committee to resolve the issue, the matter remains unresolved.
“Over the past month, I’ve observed a range of reactions to the formation of the sub-committee,” he said.
“To those who believe that the issue remains unaddressed, I stand by my commitment, and tomorrow I will join a peaceful and dignified attempt to demand answers on their issues from the government.”
Ruhullah appealed to participants to maintain civility during the protest.
“To those who seek to exploit this issue for political gains: I welcome you to step out tomorrow and step away from rhetoric. Show your sincerity where it matters,” he said.
The opposition to the reservation policy in Jammu and Kashmir has intensified, as the policy leaves only 40 per cent of seats for open merit. This change was implemented by the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha-led administration ahead of the assembly elections earlier this year.