Under house arrest, say ex-CM Mehbooba Mufti, NC MP Mehdi ahead of protest over reservation policy

Srinagar: Ahead of their participation in the students’ protest over job reservations in Jammu and Kashmir, former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, National Conference (NC) MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) MLA Waheed Para and former Srinagar Mayor Junaid Azim Mattoo on Sunday alleged that they have been placed under house arrest in Srinagar.

Iltija Mufti, PDP leader and daughter of Mehbooba Mufti, said on X on Sunday, “Like many others Ive also been placed under house arrest at Srinagar today. The insecurity & paranoia of the security agencies knows no bounds. This is the ‘normalcy’ in Naya Kashmir. An entire contingent of female police personnel is deputed at the gate to physically stop me. Care to explain under what grounds @JmuKmrPolice?”.

Iltija Mufti lives with her mother in Srinagar district.

Supporters of NC MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi said that a posse of armed police was deployed outside the residence of the MP to prevent him from joining the students’ protest.

PDP MLA Waheed Para also alleged that he has been prevented from leaving his house in Srinagar. Waheed Para said on X, “The reservation policy has become an existential issue that strikes at the very foundation of the future of our younger generations. It has been over a year since we, along with students assembled outside the CM @OmarAbdullah’s residence.”

“Unfortunately, during this entire period, there has been absolutely zero intent on the part of the govt towards resolving this issue, which has only compounded the uncertainty & anxiety shadowing our youth. This sit-in is a reminder to the government of its obligation to act with transparency & revamp the existing draconian reservation policy. At the very least, the reservation report must be placed in the public domain. Further, if the elected government maintains that the matter presently rests with the Lieutenant Governor, there can still be no justification for withholding the report from public scrutiny,” he said.

“The responsibility, wherever it may lie must be acknowledged & institutions including the office of CM & LG cannot be insulated from public accountability. The reservation issue is an exceptionally sensitive one & we unequivocally endorse the demand for fairness & its timely redressal,” Para added.

Former Srinagar city Mayor, Junaid Azim Mattoo, said, “A heavy JKP and CRPF deployment outside my residence right now ahead of my participation in the student sit-in tomorrow. A policy of apartheid against students can neither attain legitimacy nor permanence by curbing voices seeking justice. I stand with the students.”

The NC government, headed by Omar Abdullah, has recommended a 7 per cent cut in the reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) and a three per cent cut in the quota for the Residents of Backward Areas (RBA) to bring the quota under open merit for job reservation to 40 per cent in the union territory. This would become applicable after it is approved by the Lieutenant Governor.

IANS