Jammu, March 21:
In a significant move to address long-standing grievances, a high-level delegation of the BJP OBC Morcha called on Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today at the Raj Bhavan. Led by State President Braham Jyot Satti, the delegation submitted a comprehensive memorandum seeking the immediate removal of administrative anomalies and the expansion of welfare benefits for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in the Union Territory.
The ‘Urban Exclusion’ Crisis
The core of the meeting centered on a peculiar administrative hurdle affecting four specific communities: Teli, Potter (Kumhar), Dhobi, and Barber.
Currently, in Jammu & Kashmir, these castes are only issued OBC certificates if they reside in rural areas. The delegation pointed out that this “Rural Only” tag is non-existent in the rest of India, where these communities receive benefits regardless of their geography.
“This anomaly has led to the denial of constitutional rights and reservations to a significant section of our population living in urban centers,” Satti emphasized during the briefing.
Key Demands Outlined in the Memorandum
The delegation, which included senior leaders like Reeta Verma, Vijay Saini, and Sunny Sangotra, presented a four-point agenda to the Lieutenant Governor:
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Removal of “Rural Only” Restriction: Aligning the Central List of OBCs for J&K with the rest of the country to ensure urban residents of the Teli, Kumhar, Dhobi, and Barber communities can access caste certificates.
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Revision of Creamy Layer Limit: A proposal to hike the annual income ceiling from ₹8 lakh to ₹12 lakh. The Morcha argued that rising inflation and the cost of living have made the current limit outdated, unfairly excluding deserving families.
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Digital Empowerment: Providing laptops to financially underprivileged OBC students who have cleared their Class 12th exams to bridge the digital divide in higher education.
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Parity with Other UTs: Ensuring that the issuance of certificates in J&K follows the standardized national protocol.
LG Assures Swift Action
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha reportedly gave a “patient hearing” to the representatives. He assured the delegation that the concerns regarding the “Rural Only” tag and the socio-economic welfare of the OBC community would be examined by the relevant departments for a speedy resolution.
Speaking to the press after the meeting, Braham Jyot Satti expressed optimism. “We are grateful for the LG’s positive response. Removing these geographical barriers is not just about a certificate; it’s about restoring the dignity and rights of thousands of families who have been left behind due to technicalities,” he stated.
The meeting was also attended by Ashok Kumar Pandey (State Media Secretary) and Madan Baldotra (Senior VP, Prajapati Sabha J&K), signaling a unified front among OBC leadership in the region.
