22/05/2026
ALL INDIA BACKWARD CLASSES UNION (REGD) SOCIAL.
********""********************************
Press Release
Press Release
Jammu | 22 May 2026
A deputation of the All India Backward Classes Union (AIBCU), led by its Chairman Mohammad Latif Qureshi, met Shri Nasir Adlai Wani, Hon’ble Advisor to the Chief Minister on 21.05.2026 at Rabat Center Jammu, and submitted memorandums highlighting several public, educational, and social justice concerns affecting the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
The deputation included Mr. MR. Bangotra, Chief Advisor; Prof. Kali Dass, General Secretary; Om Parkash Bangotra; and other senior leaders of AIBCU. During the meeting, the delegation strongly urged the government to reduce the entry fee at Bagh-e-Bahu and other tourist gardens from Rs. 50 to Rs. 20 so that poor families can also access these public places and tourist footfall can increase.
The deputation also emphasized the need to strengthen the role of Zonal Education Officers by ensuring surprise inspections and better academic monitoring in schools. It proposed a five-day teaching schedule and assessment on the sixth day through proper testing and record-keeping so that actual student learning outcomes can be evaluated and weak students identified in time.
A major issue raised was the immediate reconstitution of the Socially and Economically Backward Classes Commission, which the deputation described as a mandatory institution for safeguarding the rights and interests of OBCs. The delegation demanded that the Commission be reconstituted without delay and that its Chairman and members be appointed from among the OBC communities.
The deputation further demanded representation of OBCs in the Council of Ministers and called for at least one OBC minister in the present government. It stated that despite political support from backward class communities, there has been no proper OBC representation in the ministry since Independence.
The AIBCU also objected to reservation being granted on the basis of “areas,” describing it as unconstitutional, illogical, and unique to Jammu and Kashmir. The delegation demanded abolition of area-based reservation and asserted that if any such benefit is to continue, it should be adjusted only on a horizontal basis in accordance with the Supreme Court’s 1992 landmark judgment.
The deputation stated that at present SC, ST, and OBC communities together receive only 26 percent reservation, while 74 percent benefits go to the general category, and reiterated the long‑pending demand for 27 percent reservation for OBCs in line with the Mandal framework.
Another serious concern raised was the ongoing online enumeration process, in which separate columns exist for SC and ST categories but no dedicated column has been provided for OBCs. The deputation urged the government to immediately provide a separate OBC column instead of placing these communities under the vague category of “Others,” which makes proper identification impossible.
The AIBCU leadership expressed hope that the Hon’ble Advisor to the Chief Minister would take up these issues with urgency and ensure justice, representation, and constitutional safeguards for the backward classes and other deserving sections of society.
Prof kali Dass,
General Secretary,
AIBCU.
