‘Death of merit is being facilitated’
SRINAGAR: As the deadline for the Cabinet Subcommittee on Reservation Review draws closer, Er Ehtisham Khan, a noted social and student rights activist, has raised serious alarm over the silence, contradictions, and inaction by the government.
With just around 19 days left before the time-bound deadline expires, Khan in a statement said the government’s approach reeks of strategic silence and institutional lethargy. “There is no transparency. No stakeholder engagement. No roadmap. And worse, the very people who once raised slogans for justice have gone silent,” Khan stated. “How are we to trust such doublespeak?”
Despite the formation of the Cabinet Subcommittee following months of public outrage, street protests, and wide-scale advocacy, the committee has met only once and released no formal update, recommendations, or public report. “It is extremely unfortunate and disheartening that a matter as sensitive and serious as this is being pushed under the carpet. What’s even more painful is that the very government which made this promise part of its manifesto is now facilitating the death of merit,” Khan said.
While recruitment advertisements under the current reservation regime continue to be published, the government maintains that the issue is under review. However, nothing on the ground reflects any serious progress.
Khan warned against further delay: “This silence is not accidental—it’s strategic. Expedite the process. You don’t need the entire six months. The Chief Minister had said this committee was time-bound. Let’s honour that timeline.”
Having taken the fight to every constitutional door—from the Home Minister to the Lieutenant Governor to the Chief Minister—Khan has spent months mobilising civil society, holding press conferences, and engaging consistently with the media to highlight the injustice. One of the most defining moments in this movement was a peaceful sit-in outside the Chief Minister’s residence, attended by legislators across party lines, the sitting Member of Parliament from Srinagar, and hundreds of concerned students and citizens. Khan was among those who participated and supported the protest, further cementing his commitment to the cause.
“I’ve been working on this issue since the very first day the unjust amendments were made. I’ve approached all levels of the system. And yet, despite the volume of our protest, there is no response from the ruling dispensation. What message are we to take from this?”
Khan also took aim at certain social media personalities and self-proclaimed leaders who have clouded the movement with their personal ambitions. He questioned the composition and intent of the subcommittee.
The activist expressed deep frustration over the lack of progress, warning that continuing this delay is a betrayal of public trust. “The government promised rationalisation. The people believed them. Now the same government is dragging its feet. Are we not justified in questioning their intent?”
Khan reiterated his commitment to the cause and said he stands with all individuals and organisations who are genuinely contributing to the struggle for justice. “I am not a leader. I have never claimed to be one. I am an individual who stood up when most remained silent—and I will continue to stand until this is resolved. But let me be clear: This issue is bigger than any of us. We owe it to the students, to merit, and to the future of Jammu & Kashmir.