Controversy Surrounds Reservation Data for Regional Disparity in J&K

The latest data on reservation certificate issuance in Jammu and Kashmir has triggered heated debates over alleged regional disparities. People's Conference chief and Handwara MLA Sajad Lone has strongly criticized the figures, alleging systemic bias against the Kashmiri-speaking population.

According to official data presented in the Legislative Assembly, since April 1, 2023, 67,112 Scheduled Caste (SC) certificates have been issued in Jammu, while none were issued in Kashmir. This disparity is mainly due to the SC category being a predominantly Hindu caste, whereas Kashmir is a Muslim-majority region with very few SC applicants.

Similarly, a significant gap is visible in Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificates. While 4,59,493 ST certificates were issued in Jammu, Kashmir received only 79,813. Lone pointed out that 100% of SC certificates and 85.3% of ST certificates were granted in Jammu, leaving Kashmir with only 14.7% of ST benefits.

Disparities in Other Reservation Categories

Lone also highlighted major discrepancies in other reservation categories:

Actual Line of Control (ALC) Reservation: 268 villages in Jammu benefited, compared to only 16 in Kashmir.

International Border (IB) Reservation: 551 villages in Jammu were covered, while Kashmir received none, as it has no IB areas.

Backward Areas Reservation: 1,379 villages in Jammu benefited, whereas 1,229 villages in Kashmir were included.

Economically Weaker Section (EWS) Certificates: 27,420 certificates were issued in Jammu, whereas only 2,273 were given in Kashmir.

Lone sharply criticized the figures, calling them an "organized attempt to ridicule the people of Kashmir and push them out of the reservation framework." He alleged that the entire reservation system was rigged against the Kashmiri-speaking population, depriving them of their rightful share.

National Conference MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi also condemned the government's actions, calling them a "political disaster" and a "betrayal of public trust." He stated that the figures reflect a deliberate attempt to marginalize certain communities and vowed to take up the matter for further review to ensure justice for the deserving.