JAMMU: Sunil Prajapati President BJP OBC Morcha J&K, denounced the controversial decision of newly elected J&K UT Govt to windup the J&K OBC Welfare Board and ordered the Secretary OBC Welfare Board to shift the Office in the Office of Scheduled Caste Welfare Board, which is a great conspiracy and discriminatory decision of the National Conference (NC) Govt to betray the OBC Category people of J&K, who have already suffer irreparable loss for 70 years due discriminatory rule framed for OBCs by the previous NC State Govts which always compromised the rights of OBCs and diluted OBC reservation by diverting OBC reservation to RBA and ALC unconstitutionally, as OBC reservation is meant for the backward classes as per Article 15(4) and 1(4) of the Constitution.
The OBC Category with 41 Castes/Classes is the largest one amongst Reserve categories with around 35% as per Census 1931 as also appeared in the various reports of J&K Govt from time to time, which have calculated the OBC population in J&K around 32%. Neglecting OBC category and ordering to wind up the OBC Welfare Board is a partiality decision of NC Govt against OBC Category, which will inflict a great loss to the OBC people.
The attitude of NC State Govt always remain violent against OBCs which denied them reservation as per Centre Govt orders, as prevailing in all States of the Country, since from the beginning on implementation OBC Reservation in the Country during 1993 and adjusted them under Social Caste (OSC) category with mere 2% reservation to such a large population.
The BJP Union Govt abolished the OSC Category and implemented OBC reservation in J&K through parliament decision of 2023 and accordingly the OBC reservation was implemented in J&K UT vide SO 176 of 15 March 2024. Agitated by the Union Govt decision of OBC reservation in J&K, the NC Govt is now bent upon to take every step to deny the constitutional rights and to decrease the reservation of OBC so as to inflict grievous loss to the category. Winding up the OBC Welfare Board is the one of the step of present NC Govt to damage the future of the lakhs of OBC of J&K who reside in both the regions and are in both the religions in equal ratio.
It is added that as per census 2011, the population of SC and ST 1 comes to around 8% and 7%, respectively after excluding ST population of Kargil and Leh of erstwhile J&K State. However these categories are having well-functioning office with adequate staff, being allotment sufficient Funds and all other requisite resources made available, but the OBC category which is having around 35â population is being neglected severely and denied the very constitutional rights by the NC Govt with vicious decisions, which is not only great injustice and discrimination but also violation of Article 14 of the Constitution which confer right of equality to every citizen, caste and creed without any discrimination.
Sunil Prajapati accordingly request the Honâble Lieutenant Governor J&K UT and the Union Home Minister to take serious note of the controversial decision of the present NC Govt to close the OBC Welfare Board and order for cancellation of such order and also to provide adequate Staff and allotment of sufficient funds to run the Board Office smoothly.
