Jammu, September 7:
The OBC community, which was decisive in the victory and defeat in seven seats of Jammu division in the assembly elections. People of the community say that despite being 11 percent of the total population. Our people are not being elected either in the Lok Sabha or the Assembly. All political parties have marginalized the OBCs.
In the upcoming assembly elections, there is no representative of the community on a party ticket from any seat. The community hopes that political parties understand their importance and give them proper representation. There is discontent in the community due to lack of justice in reservation. The reservation of OBC community in the state has been amended twice.
For the first time they got two percent reservation. After this, it was increased to four percent in 2022 and then to eight percent in 2024. Whereas the demand of the society is that they should be given 27 percent reservation like other states. For the first time in 1992, two percent reservation was given in the state. In 32 years, the castes in OBC increased from 27 to 42 but the reservation could reach only two to eight percent.
New castes have been included in Jammu Kashmir: Baghe, Ghirath, Jat, Saini, Shoti, Kishan, Sunar, Teli, Terna, Bojru, Gorkha, Gorkhan, West Pakistani Refugee, Acharya Brahmin. Apart from this, Haaji, Machera, Markwal, Potter, Shaksaj, Cobbler, Bhangi, Barber, Washerman, Bhagat, Nirasi, Madari, Kulfikar, Damli Fikar, Dom, Supri Batal, Sansi, Shiklighar, Jeevar, Gharaati, Teli, Blacksmith, Darkhan, Carpenter, Lubana, Shirgonjari, Jogi, Vovaria.
