Srinagar:
A day following the passage of the ST Bill in the Lok Sabha, granting reservation to the Pahari Ethnic Community in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list of Jammu and Kashmir, former Chief Minister and National Conference (NC) Vice-President, Omar Abdullah, voiced concerns on Wednesday, emphasizing the need to safeguard the share of the Gujjar community under the ST reservation.
Addressing reporters in Jammu, Omar Abdullah reiterated the NC’s longstanding support for reservations for the Pahari community, while also advocating for the protection of the Gujjar community’s share. The remarks come in the wake of the Lok Sabha’s approval of the Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill 2024, which aims to include the Pahari Ethnic Group, Padari Tribes, Koli, and Gadha Brahmin in the ST list of Jammu and Kashmir.
Taking a swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Omar Abdullah remarked that the saffron party lacks the courage to simultaneously conduct Parliamentary and Assembly elections. Despite significant changes such as the abrogation of Article 370, the introduction of new laws, alterations in constituency boundaries through the delimitation process, and reservations for various communities, he noted the BJP’s reluctance to pursue simultaneous polls in Jammu and Kashmir.