SRINAGAR: In a rare moment in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, ruling National Conference (NC) MLA Bashir Ahmad Veeri broke down while moving a Private Member’s Bill seeking amendments to the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004.
The bill, which called for rationalisation of the reservation policy and an increase in the Open Merit quota, was ultimately rejected by the House after failing to secure support from the ruling party.
Veeri introduced the Bill amid growing public debate over reservation policies in J&K. He clarified that he only intends to balance reservation, not dismantle it. “Open Merit is not a privilege but a constitutional space. If merit ends, mediocrity will increase,” Veeri said.
During his speech, Veeri became visibly emotional, pausing at several points and eventually breaking down. “The youth have attached their emotions with my leader, with me and this house...I told my voters at the time of elections that even if I am hanged I will raise this issue in the house. Even if you throw me out from here, I will talk about it,” he said.
He argued that reservation, while constitutionally mandated to uplift backward classes, risks becoming counterproductive if it exceeds reasonable limits. “When reservation goes into excess, it does not remain an instrument of justice but becomes an instrument of exclusion”.
The NC MLA said J&K is the single place, where general category population is highest in the country.
“The general category population in J&K stands at around 65–70 per cent but the Open Merit quota remains between 30–40 per cent.“This is injustice with merit holders,” he said, adding that no other state in India has crossed the 50 per cent reservation ceiling.
“This is exclusion of merit,” he said and alleged that there was also regional disparity against students of Kashmir. “I have only one son. He has gone to London and told me he will not return because there are no avenues here,” the NC MLA said.
“I want to appeal to the House, for Allah's sake allow the bill to be introduced for my children. You have got a mechanism. Send it to the Select committee. Whatever measures you have taken in this regard if it becomes public, the bill will become infructuous.”
“Amend the rule 17 and rationalise the reservation and increase the Open Merit reservation to 65%,” he said.
Minister for Education Sakeena Ittoo, who heads the Cabinet subcommittee on the reservation issue, said it is a common issue for all of them.
“It is a very sensitive issue. After 2019, new changes were brought into J&K. A cabinet sub-committee was formed under the directions of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. It has completed its report after consulting stakeholders within the stipulated time frame. The report is with the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha,” Ittoo said.
"Once it is returned after approval, it will be implemented, and we hope all concerns will be addressed," she said and urged the MLA to withdraw the Bill as work on it has already been done.
Despite repeated requests from party colleagues, Veeri refused to back down and insisted on a vote. “I am a loyal worker of the party. I don’t want to embrace the party but this is an issue of credibility,” he said.
As the NC members were persuading him to withdraw the bill, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah rose and told the Speaker that don’t delay it if the member wants to press for it (voting), “we will vote against him and we don’t have any objection to it.”
Veeri pressed the matter for voting. The Bill was rejected by the house as none of the NC, Congress and other legislators of ruling alliance voted against him and only four opposition members supported him. The rejection of the bill indicates internal dissent within the ruling party.