JAMMU, Jul 12: The Central Executive Committee of the All India Backward Classes Union (AIBCU), in a meeting chaired by Latif Qureshi, expressed concern over what it described as the continued deprivation of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in Jammu and Kashmir from their constitutional rights.
The union referred to recent remarks by MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, who distanced himself from the National Conference’s proposed July 20 protest at Jantar Mantar, saying the public mandate was for the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A rather than statehood alone.
While acknowledging the MP’s ideological position, AIBCU questioned the role of successive regional governments, alleging that the benefits of the Mandal Commission recommendations and the 1992 Indra Sawhney judgment were not extended to J&K’s OBCs for decades. The union also criticised the existing 8% OBC reservation, claiming it is inadequate and has been further diluted without increasing the overall quota.
The executive committee also raised concerns over area-based reservation categories, arguing that reservations should primarily be linked to social and educational backwardness. It further questioned the implementation of the 10% Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) quota while, according to the union, OBC demands remain unaddressed.
Concluding the meeting, AIBCU alleged that mainstream political parties have failed to adequately represent OBC interests and urged OBC leaders associated with various political parties to build an independent social and political platform to safeguard the community’s constitutional rights.