Srinagar: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) youth leader Waheed Para has sharply criticised the Jammu and Kashmir government’s decision to reduce the quota for residents of Backward Areas (RBA), calling it a deliberate attempt to weaken Kashmiri representation and empowerment.
In a post on social media platform X, Para described the cabinet sub-committee’s move to slash the RBA quota under the guise of “rationalization” as a calculated effort to disempower the people of Kashmir. He said the decision targets a long-standing provision that protected the rights and ensured representation of Kashmiris in administrative and educational spheres.
“The J&K government’s decision to cut down the RBA quota in the name of ‘rationalization’ is nothing but a calculated attempt to disempower Kashmiris,” Para wrote, adding that it undermines a vital safeguard guaranteeing fair opportunities for people from backward and remote regions of the Valley.
He also took aim at National Conference leader and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, accusing him of supporting the move and thereby “furthering the disempowerment agenda” rather than defending equity.
The RBA quota has historically been a key part of Jammu and Kashmir’s reservation policy, benefiting people from underdeveloped and remote areas.
