SC/ST/OBCs betrayed by ruling J&K UT Govt: JAC-RC

Jammu, January 16, 2023: Socio religious groups, retired forum, youth & women wing of Joint Action Committee of Reserved Categories (JAC-RC) castigated both JKUT and Central Government for befooling SC/ST/OBCs of J&K on false promises of extending all the constitutional guarantees meant for their welfare in JKUT and in turn getting votes of these communities in 2014, and 2019 Parliamentary elections, as well as, ULB and Panchayat elections.

After stealing their votes on false promises, they threw SC/ST/OBCs away like paper napkins and thereafter used SC/ST/OBC leaders in various Morchas as Stooges to utter like parrots the false narratives/lies and propagandas of all-around development of SC/ST/OBCs.

It looks as if the PM’s Slogan of “Dhara 370 Kaa Khatama Jammu Kashmir Maine Ek Naya Itihas Likhyega”, has completely failed.

They said that SC/ST/OBCS of J&K since 2015 are struggling hard to get extension of Mandal Commission Report to J&K, restoration of Reservation in Promotions, stopping official atrocities on employees of SC/ST/OBCs.

But instead of solving these issue, the BJP led LG’s administration has diluted Reservation for these communities in direct recruitments, diluted ST constitutional position, neglected proper action in the cases of atrocities on SCs post abrogation, started snatching government allotted land to these communities in favour of so called corporatization and industrialization, and using SCSTOBCs leaders in BJP as puppets only.  There is no whereabouts of SC Component Plans and their implementation in JKUT after Art 370 abrogation.

Furthermore, BC Classes Commission was thrusted upon SC/ST/OBCs, J&K Delimitation Commission Report was also thrusted upon the people of J&K, outsiders have been encouraged to start their industry in J&K by allotment of land on nominal rates and ignoring J&K business community and so on. Even the visit of almost 300 MPs of various Parliamentary Committees, as claimed by the government, was focused on Kashmir & Leh, thereby, ignoring Jammu Division totally and photo sessions superseded real groundwork assessments and interacting with the masses and ground zero leaders. While further elaborating on the plights of SC/ST/OBCs of J&K, the members said that on one hand J&K bureaucracy is hell bent upon damaging the welfare schemes meant for SC/ST/OBCs in J&K by way of defying Presidential Order, STAY order, of Supreme Court of India in matter of Reservation in promotions and on the other hands, there is no practical evidence of political action of extension of all Constitutional provisions to J&K on ground.

Prof. G.L. Thapa said that after sabotaging Reservation in Promotions,  Reservation in Direct Recruitments have also been attacked by starting the reservation roster points afresh on the plea of EWS & Pahari reservation, thereby,  finishing piled up backlog vacancies of SCSTs. During Governor/LGs rule, bureaucracy have turned out to be super bosses, which have been criticized by local BJP leadership also. He further added that the bureaucracy under LG went on defying even the Presidential Order of 1st March, 2019, wherein, the 77th Constitutional Amendment (1995) stands extended to JKUT. He said that the bureaucracy and the political dispensations in a very calculative manner are trying to finish off the reservation in employment and education.

Mohinder Bhagat, while addressing the media added that even the exercises done by Backward Classes Commission, Delimitation Commission and visits of various Parliamentary Committees to JKUT have proved to be futile exercises, as no fruitful results favoring masses have emerged. The fresh example in this regard is the Delimitation Commission that did not even agree to the suggestions of the sitting MPs from J&K and not even considered the representations of the masses and brought out an arbitrary report of Delimitation of Assembly Segments. Further elaborating on the plights of SCSTOBCs of J&K, he said that even the LG of JKUT is not much interested in implementing welfare measures meant for SC/ST/OBCs,  as scores of delegations of SC/ST/OBCs have met him several times in the immediate past including JAC-RC. One year back, when a delegation of JAC-RC met him in Jammu, he promised to get all the constitutional guarantees meant for SC/ST/OBCs implemented including reservation in promotions and shall call the delegation again after ten days but in spite of repeated reminders there is no response from his office. He further said that the mainstream party and its stooges shall be taught a good lesson by masses at an appropriate time ,  religion based politics and propaganda shall not work for a long time.

Prof. Kali Dass (Member Presidium) while addressing the media said that implementation of Mandal Commission Report is awaited in JKUT and the unconstitutionally carved categories are enjoying good share of reservation in Educational Institutions and employment at the cost of depriving OBCs of their due share. This is clear indication that the present government is also using the appeasement policy of previous governments at the cost of deserving ones.   PM Modi must give clear directions to the LG administration for in toto implementation of Constitutional rights of SCSTOBCs to JKUT. He said that the other unconstitutional reservations to ALC, RBA and others should also be revisited and OBCs of J&K should be given 27% reservation as promised by the Prime minister on many occasions. If the government does not rethink on this issue, it may invite a statewide agitation and people will defeat the present ruling party with the power of vote.

Sh. Sham Bassan ( Corporator) while concluding said that no good has been done with the SCSTOBCs of J&K after converting J&K State into Union Territory. Constitutionally recognized groups have been denied of their due rights and unconstitutionally carved categories have been accommodated well. The atrocities on SCs have increased including official harassment. The institutional murder of Prof. Chandrasekhar is unsolved till now, there is severe partiality in distribution of Ex-gratia relief to the victims of militancy and clear-cut examples are the case of Martyr Rajni Bala and two SC victims of firing by army. LG reached out to other Hindu victims of militancy immediately, so do the HM but when some SC/ST/OBC falls victim, a clear bias and partiality is shown towards him/her LG, HM & the Prime Minister must act on ground to prove that BJP is SCSTOBCs friendly, otherwise people shall teach a good lesson to them at an appropriate time. He demanded on ground implementation of SC/ST Atrocities Act & Forest Rights Act, Land ownership rights to SC/ST/OBCs & stoppage of giving JKUT land to outsiders on nominal rates, and no ST Status to Paharis, implementation of reservation in promotions and all other pending demands of the Community with the LG administration.

Er. Joginder Paul, Er. R.C. Bhasin, Bashir Ahmed Choudhary, Aslam Choudhary, Adv Anwar Choudhary, Adv  Mohd Aslam , Adv Mushtaq Bashir Noon, Dr. C.R. Munday, Loknath, Dr. Haridayal, Adbul Majeed Malik, Er. Surinder Dewgoda, T.C. Bavouria,  G.L. Rahi, M.L. Banalia, B.R. Banalia, Raj Kumar Bhagat, Romesh Kumar, Vishal Bhagat, Rakesh Attri, Manoj Kumar, Sohan Badgal, Kewal Krishan Fotra, , Sunesh Bhagat, Baldev Raj ,M.R. Bangotra,  Des Raj, Asad Noomani, Bodh Raj Bhagat, Haji Fotedar, Sardari Lal, Des Raj Sangral, V D Triyal, Ram Dass, Mohinder Bhagat Karloopia, FC Satia, Ram Lubhaya,  Rajinder Sikka, Shashi Verma, Gurmit Singh, Brij Mohan Mehra, Bahadur Lal, Manohar Lal, Lokinder Singh Ravi, Captain  Ashok Kumar, Milkhi Ram, Jagat Ram, Puran Chand Attri, Sardari Lal Bangotra, Krishan Lal Sangral, Rachh Pal Bhardwaj,  Lucky Cheedha, DD Mehra, Vikas Kalsi, Surjit Heer, Chaman Lal, Charan Dass Shivgotra, Mangat Kalsi, Sham Kalsi, Joginder Kumar, Prithivi Raj, Raj Kumar Chalotra and many others.