BJP OBC Morcha extends gratitude to Union Govt for Cabinet Decision to extend reservation to OBCs in PRIs and ULBs

JAMMU, February 02: BJP OBC Morcha welcomed the Union Govt Cabinet decision to provide reservation to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in Municipalities and Panchayat elections in J&K.

Sunil Prajapati, President BJP OBC Morcha on this occasion held a Press Conference and extended gratitude to the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Home Minister and the Union Govt for such a historical decision to provide reservation to OBCs in Panchayati Raj Institutions in J&K.

Raj Kumar Tarkhan (General Secretary BJP OBC Morcha), Ravi Mehra (Vice President of BJP OBC Morcha), Raman Chalotra (Secretary BJP OBC Morcha), Ashok Salgotra (District President Jammu OBC Morcha), Ram Pal (District President BJP OBC Jammu South) and other BJP Office Bearers were also present in the press conference.

Sunil Prajapati said that earlier there was no reservation for OBCs in Municipalities and Panchayats and OBCs were not provided reservations even in jobs under OBC Category but under Social Castes (OSC) category, where no provision exists for providing reservations to OBCs in Urban Local Bodies and Panchayat elections.

Sunil Prajapati said that after necessary approval of the Bill to this effect by the Parliament as proposed by the Union Cabinet to extend reservation to OBCs in Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and Panchayats in J&K, OBCs will get reservations in forthcoming elections of Panches, Sarpanches, Block Development Councils (BDCs) and also in District Development Councils (DDCs).  Similarly, OBCs will also get reservations in elections of Urban Local Bodies as was available for SC and ST Categories.

It could only be possible after approval of the Bill for Reservation to OBCs by parliament during the last Winter Session replacing the OSC category, which has been made applicable in J&K from 26 December 2023.  Consequently, the OBCs in J&K become entitled to reservations in the election of Panchayats and Municipalities as per Constitutional Provisions a laid down Article 243 D(6) and 243 T(6) respectively, accordingly, the Union Cabinet has now approved the Reservation to OBCs in Panchayats and Municipality elections, which is likely to be approved by the Parliament in the ongoing parliament session.

Earlier, the OBCs in J&K were not provided reservation under OBC Category but under Social Castes (OSC), created by the previous NC-Congress Govts, while a large portion of OBC Reservation quota was diverted to Area based Reserve categories Residents of Backward Areas (RBA) and Residents of Areas adjoining Actual Line of Control ALC and provided to the people of specific areas belonging to the constituencies of concerned MLAs of Ruling parties for vote bank, who were otherwise not entitled to reservation as per constitutional provisions. As such, Prajapati appealed to the Hon’ble Home Minister and the Union Govt that Reserve categories RBA and ALC, as introduced by previous governments under the influence of Article 370, may be repealed as have become unconstitutional after revocation of Article 370.  Otherwise, the reservation quota to OBCs will get reduced in comparison to the OBC population, as a large portion of OBC reservation Quota is under reserve categories RBA, ALC/IB, and Paharis and a meager portion of OBC reservation quota is available for providing to OBCs. He also appealed that the percentage of reservation quota for OBCs in Jobs be considered as per the population of OBCs in J&K UT, which is around above 20%.

Sunil Prajapati blamed the previous J&K governments led by NC-Congress and PDP for denying the Constitutional right to OBCs which have now been granted by the present BJP Govt at Centre.  Now with the reservation in Panchayat and Municipality elections, many representatives from the OBC community will be elected as Panches, Sarpanches, BDCs, and DDCs and also the Comparators and councillors in the Municipalities as there are around 72 Municipalities and around 4300 Panchayats.  Accordingly, the position of the BJP will be strengthened at the grassroots level and the parties who deceived the OBCs of their constitutional rights will be neglected by the public in the coming elections.