Reservation Row: MP Ruhullah Mehdi, Iltija Mufti, Waheed Parra Placed Under House Detention Ahead Of March

Students belonging to the Open Merit category of Jammu and Kashmir were scheduled to assemble at Polo View, Srinagar, from where a protest march was planned towards the CM Residence at Gupkar Road. 

Students' protest march over the reservation policy of Jammu Kashmir was foiled by authorities placing Member of Parliament Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, MLA Pulwama Waheed-ur-Rehman, and Iltija Mufti under house detention in Central Kashmir’s Srinagar and Budgam district.

Students belonging to the Open Merit category of Jammu and Kashmir were scheduled to assemble at Polo View, Srinagar, from where a protest march was planned towards the CM Residence at Gupkar Road. The demonstration was supposed to be led by Ruhullah, participated by Waheed and Iltija, who have been extending support to the students demanding rationalization of the existing reservation policy.

Ruhulla on X wrote, “I have neither forgotten nor left the students alone. I urge the government once again to talk to the students and uprise them of the measures and decisions taken to resolve this issue. If that does not happen till Saturday, I will not leave our youth and students helpless. I will walk with them and sit with them on this coming Sunday at the same place as we did the last year on 23rd December to make them heard.”

However, ahead of the scheduled protest, authorities placed the MP under house arrest, effectively preventing him from participating in or leading the march. Ruhullah's detention was confirmed through his office X handle, stating that he had been confined to his residence.

Apart from MP Ruhulla Authorities have also placed some PDP leaders under house arrest in Srinagar ahead of a proposed student protest regarding the existing reservation policy.

Iltija Mufti said she was confined to her residence in Srinagar, claiming that security personnel were deployed to prevent her movement. In a post on X, she stated that, like several others, she had been placed under house arrest and questioned the grounds under which the restrictions were imposed.

She alleged that a contingent of female police personnel had been stationed at her gate to physically stop her from stepping out, describing the move as reflective of what she termed insecurity and paranoia on the part of security agencies. Referring to the situation as “normalcy” in Naya Kashmir, Mufti sought an explanation from the authorities for the action taken against her.

Meanwhile, legislator Waheed Parra was also placed under house arrest, sources said. Both leaders were scheduled to participate in a student-led protest regarding the reservation policies in the Union Territory.

The protest was being organized by students from the Open Merit category, who are demanding rationalization of the reservation framework. They argue that the current system has led to imbalance and adversely impacted merit-based opportunities, particularly in competitive examinations and admissions.

Officials have maintained that the matter related to reservation is under consideration, with students claiming they were informed that the file is currently lying with the Lieutenant Governor’s office.

Security arrangements were intensified across Srinagar to prevent any assembly, while no untoward incident was reported.