Several organisations representing Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday organised the ‘Adhikar Tiranga Yatra’ in Jammu to protest against the move of the Centre to include “upper castes” in the Schedule Tribe (ST) and Schedule Caste (SC) lists.
Members of the OBC Mahasabha, the All India Backward Classes Federation, and the All J&K Welfare Forum, Srinagar, participated in the protest.
“We protest against the discriminatory behaviour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, J&K Lieutenant-Governor Manoj Sinha, and the G.D. Sharma Commission, towards Other Backward Classes (OBC) of J&K,” Mohan Lal Pawar, general secretary, OBC Mahasabha, said.
Kasturi Lal Basotra, chairman of the OBC Mahasabha, said the Modi government had betrayed the promise it had made in 2014 at the Maulana Azad Stadium, Jammu, and later at Hira Nagar in 2019.
“Instead of implementing 27% reservation in government services, Panchayati Raj system and urban local bodies, the Modi government has started diluting the OSC (other social castes)/OBC reservation in J&K by inducting the upper castes under the garb of resident of backward area (10% reservation), [resident of] Actual Line of Control (4%), and Pahari speaking people under Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC),” Mr. Basotra said.
He said the government had implemented 10% reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in 2019 by inducting Article 15(6) and 16(6) in the Indian Constitution. “Reservation for upper caste masses is constitutionally illegal,” Mr. Basotra said.
Faquir Chand Satia, another OBC leader, said the appointment of Justice G.D. Sharma as the Chairman of the commission along with two non-OBC members was done “with the intention to dilute the OSC/OBC reservation by inducting the upper castes/classes and other castes”.
Meanwhile, a street protest was held in Srinagar by Gujjars and Bakerwals against the inclusion of Paharis in the Scheduled Tribes list.
“We are not alone. All the Gujjars of India are with us. We will fight for our rights,” Mukhiya Gujjar, a leader from the community, said.
The protesters made a bid to march towards the Raj Bhavan in Srinagar “to defend their Scheduled Tribe (ST) status” but were stopped by the police.
