Warns RBA quota cut will hit rural and remote Kashmiri hardest
Srinagar, Oct 17: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) youth leader Waheed Para on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the Jammu and Kashmir Government over its decision to reduce the Residents of Backward Areas (RBA) quota, calling it a “deliberate attempt to dilute Kashmiri representation and empowerment.”
In a post on X, Para termed the move by the cabinet sub-committee as a “calculated attempt to disempower the people of Kashmir” under the guise of “rationalization.”
He said the decision undermines a long-standing safeguard that has historically ensured access and equity for people from backward and remote regions of the Valley in education and administration.
“The J&K Government’s decision to slash the RBA quota under the pretext of rationalization is nothing short of an attempt to weaken the representation of Kashmiris,” Para wrote.
Taking a direct swipe at Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Para accused him of endorsing a policy that erodes equity rather than protecting it, alleging that Abdullah’s support for the move aligns with “an agenda of disempowerment.”
The RBA quota has for decades formed a key pillar of Jammu and Kashmir’s reservation framework, extending benefits to residents of underdeveloped and geographically remote areas. Critics argue that any reduction in the quota could disproportionately affect rural and marginalized communities across the Valley.
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