Srinagar: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) MLA from Pulwama Waheed-ur-Rehman Para on Wednesday claimed that abrogation of Article 370, which was touted as a step toward equality for Kashmiris, has institutionalised exclusion and double-standards.
Para was commenting on a notification issued by Jammu and Kashmir Board of Professional Entrance Examinations, asking candidates desirous of seeking admission in MD/MS courses at a private medical college in Jammu under minority Hindu and NRI quotas to submit their documents.
“The abrogation of Article 370 was touted as a step toward equality for Kashmiris. Instead, it has institutionalised exclusion and double-standards,” Parra said, adding that this is not equality.
“It’s calculated discrimination,” Para, who is the leader of PDP legislature party in the Assembly, said in a post on X.
“Glaring Hypocrisy in Minority Status in Jammu and Kashmir. The application of ‘minority’ status in Jammu and Kashmir exposes a blatant double standard that undermines the principles of proportional representation and justice,” he said.
The PDP MLA said it perpetuates inequality against the very communities it claims to uplift.
“In Kashmir, Muslims are classified as a national minority to access school scholarships but are penalised as the local majority when it comes to college admissions and government jobs,” he said.
Para claimed that nowhere else in India is the open merit quota slashed to just 40 percent, shutting the majority community out of opportunities they are already denied at the national level.
“We fully support proportional representation and safeguards for minorities, but why not apply the same logic consistently? If Hindus can be declared minorities in specific states or districts and provided safeguards, why isn’t the same principle extended to Muslims across India?
“Why is regional demography invoked only when it suits the narrative of denying fairness to Muslims?” he asked.
Para said the government must “stop squeezing identity and regional demographics to marginalize communities further”.
“This hypocrisy must end, and true equality must prevail,” he added.
Parra gets 7-days to respond to ‘breach of privilege’ notice
The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly has given PDP legislative party leader Waheed-ur-Rehman Para seven days to respond to a “breach of privilege” notice issued over his speech in the House early this month.
Para, a first-time member of the Legislative Assembly, is accused of breach of privilege by National Conference MLA Nazir Ahmad Khan Gurezi.
“The office is in receipt of a communication from Gurezi addressed to the Speaker in which it has been stated that Para, during his speech on Motion of Thanks on the Lieutenant Governor’s Address on 8th of November 2024, has levelled some allegations and used derogatory remarks against him.
“Accordingly, the matter was placed before the Speaker, who desired to seek comments from Para in the first instance before proceeding ahead in the matter,” Qazi Mushtaq Ahmad, under-secretary in J&K legislative assembly secretariat, said in a communication to Para on Tuesday.
The letter asked Para to furnish his response in the matter within seven days so that the same could be placed before the Speaker.
