Within minutes after his party's Lok Sabha member announced holding a peaceful protest outside his official residence on Monday, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah started a damage control exercise and assured that his government would address grievances of all sections of the society.

"I understand the emotions surrounding the reservation issue. Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) had committed to examining all aspects of it in our manifesto released before the assembly elections", Omar Abdullah posted on 'X' to assure the agitating lot.

"It is as a continuation of this commitment that a cabinet sub-committee was constituted to move towards fulfilling this promise", he further stated, adding, "That sub-committee was only recently notified and is in the process of starting its work by engaging with all stakeholders".

He further said, "The reservation policy has also been challenged in the Hon'ble High Court of and Ladakh. We will, of course, be bound by any judgment when the final legal options have been exhausted".

Appeal to agitating students

While assuring that his government has not ignored this issue, he stated, "It has come to my attention that a protest is being planned in Srinagar to highlight the sense of injustice surrounding the reservation policy."

"Peaceful protest is a democratic right and I would be the last person to deny anyone that right but please protest knowing that the issue has not been ignored or swept under the carpet", he said, assuring, "Your government is doing what any responsible government would do - making sure everyone is heard and a fair decision arrived at after completing the due process."

Agitating students react to Omar's appeal.

While acknowledging the statement of  Open Merit Students Association (OMSA) J&K, a group spearheading the agitation against reservation rules in J&K, said that official spokespersons and leaders of the ruling National Conference were creating confusion on this issue.

"We acknowledge your statement regarding the reservation issue and the formation of the sub-committee. However, it has been a considerable amount of time with no substantial updates. When the media raises questions, your party's response is that the matter is sub judice and cannot be discussed," OMSA posted on its official social media handle.

"Recently, your official party spokesperson mentioned that the committee is defunct because the matter is now in court. We question — under which law can a government committee not function, or the government refrain from discussing a matter just because it is in court?" the OMSA asked.

"This reasoning feels like an excuse to avoid accountability and action on this critical issue. We, the General Category students of Jammu and Kashmir, feel ignored and betrayed by your government's inaction", the agitating students said, adding, "To make matters worse, today one of your Anantnag MLAs has stated that this issue is now under the jurisdiction of the central government, given that Jammu and Kashmir is a Union Territory. This is yet another misleading claim."

"We, the students of the General category, demand transparency, clarity, and immediate action on this matter. We will not stand by while our concerns are ignored. We call on your government to act responsibly, not just for political expediency, but for the future of the youth of Jammu and Kashmir."

Issues raised by agitating students against Cabinet Sub-Committee

• The sub-committee, which you claim is addressing the grievances, fails to acknowledge the General Unreserved Population of Jammu and Kashmir, which constitutes 70% of the population. This is not a "section of aspirants," as you conveniently put it — it is a vast majority whose concerns are being undermined.
• The absence of any time-bound framework in the order raises serious concerns. Without deadlines, we are left wondering whether this sub-committee will ever come to any meaningful conclusion, or if it's just a tactic to delay and distract.
• The scope of the sub-committee is wrongly limited to just "posts," when in reality, admissions should be equally prioritized, as it affects a large number of students. Yet, this critical issue is glaringly absent from the current discussion.

Earlier Lok Sabha member of Omar's party announced staging a protest outside CM's residence.

Earlier in the day, Lok Sabha member of the ruling National Conference Aga Ruhullah Mehdi on announced holding a protest outside the official residence of the Chief Minister.

National Conference's Lok Sabha member from Srinagar Ruhullah Mehdi will hold a "peaceful" and "dignified" protest outside the Chief Minister's official residence on Gupkar Road to demand rationality in the reservation policy.

In a post on X, Aga Ruhullah stated that he urged everyone to wait till December 22 to give the elected government time to address the issue.

"Today marks the date I had committed to stand with those whose voices demand rationality in the reservation policy. In my response to a post on X (Twitter) by a concerned citizen, I urged everyone to wait until 22nd December to give the elected government time to address this issue. I also said that if the matter was not resolved by then, I would join you in protest outside the HCM's residence or office," the Lok Sabha member stated,