LG office in IIOJK an undemocratically imposed institution akin to colonial viceroy: Ruhullah Mehdi
NC leader says he will not approach Lieutenant Governor over reservation issue
Srinagar: In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), National Conference leader and Indian parliament member from Srinagar Ruhullah Mehdi has said he does not want to raise the reservation issue in the territory with the New Delhi-appointed Lieutenant Governor, describing the LG office as an “undemocratically imposed institution” akin to a colonial viceroy.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Mehdi made the remarks while participating in ‘Spaces’, a live audio conversation on X. During the discussion, he was asked a range of questions, including the existing reservation policy, against which he had led a student demonstration outside IIOJK Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s residence in December 2024.
The existing reservation policy reserves 67 per cent in government jobs and admissions to professional courses, leaving only 33 per cent for the open-merit category in the territory. The policy, introduced by the Lieutenant Governor-led administration in April 2024, drew opposition from political parties and sections of general-category students.
Responding to a question about whether he would stage a protest outside Lok Bhavan, similar to the demonstration held at the CM’s residence, amid the NC-led government’s position that reservation sub-committee’s report is now with the LG, Mehdi said he would join Omar Abdullah if the chief minister took the lead.
“I would be happy to join the chief minister if he takes the lead,” he said.
Mehdi had previously led a protest outside the CM’s residence demanding rationalization of reservation policy in IIOJK.
Asked why he had not directed similar criticism at the LG office, Mehdi said engaging with the Lok Bhavan would amount to legitimizing an undemocratic setup.
“I do not recognize the institution of the lieutenant governor. For me, he is a viceroy. It is an undemocratically imposed institution upon us, and I do not recognise it as such,” he said.
Mehdi said the Indian Parliament was the appropriate platform for raising the reservation issue and noted that he had already asked two questions on the matter. “I am a member of Parliament and I thought this is the right forum to raise the question, since the Jammu and Kashmir government has made it clear that they have forwarded the file to the Indian government,” he said.
Following the abrogation of IIOJK’s special status in August 2019 and its reorganization as a Union Territory, important cabinet decisions are sent to New Delhi through LG’s office.
The IIOJK government constituted a cabinet sub-committee on December 10, 2024, to examine grievances regarding the reservation policy after the total reserved share was increased to 67 per cent. The change was introduced by amendments to the reservation rules under the LG-led administration in April 2024.
The revised framework left 33 per cent for the open-merit category and triggered opposition from political parties and general-category students.
Ruhullah Mehdi also criticized the remarks by US Ambassador Sergio Gor regarding regarding Kashmir, saying the ambassador had made political statement that appeared to validate the BJP-led Indian government’s handling of the territory. He termed the remarks an unwarranted intrusion into an internal matter and said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had missed an opportunity to clearly articulate the elected government’s position when the ambassador crossed diplomatic limits.
