SRINAGAR: In a surprising show of unity, political rivals Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi from the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) and Waheed ur Rehman Parra from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have joined forces. They are advocating for fairness and merit in Jammu and Kashmir’s reservation policies. Aga, who strongly supports merit-based systems, is leading a protest today against the current reservation setup, which he believes harms fairness and merit.
The protest has gained a lot of attention and comes at a time when the High Court is reviewing the issue, and a government subcommittee has been formed to address it. Despite their political differences, Parra, who ran against Aga in a friendly Lok Sabha election earlier this year, has publicly supported the JKNC leader. His statement has resonated across party lines.
On Twitter, Parra praised Aga’s decision, saying, “I fully support Aga Syed Ruhullah’s stand with the youth in demanding fair and rational reservation policies.” He stressed the importance of proportional representation to address socio-economic gaps without creating divisive policies.
Parra emphasized that while affirmative action is important, merit should remain central. “Merit must be the foundation of our systems. Reservations should help bridge inequalities, not create ongoing imbalances,” he wrote, calling for policies that empower all parts of society without causing new divisions.
The protest has resonated with many people in Jammu and Kashmir, especially the youth, who want a fair system that respects their goals without political interference.
Aga plans to hold a peaceful protest outside Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s residence in Srinagar. After Aga announced his plan, the Chief Minister tweeted that he is committed to resolving the issue and has already set up a cabinet subcommittee. However, the government will wait for the court’s decision before taking further action.
