JAMMU, Feb. 13 -- Demanding that the reservation of ST-II under Pahari quota be extended to the people from PoJK, who have settled in the plains of Jammu, two BJP legislators, on Thursday, staged a walkout from the legislative assembly. Dissatisfied with the reply furnished by the social welfare minister Sakina Itoo during question hour, BJP legislators Dr Narinder Singh Raina and Arvind Gupta walked out of the legislative assembly. "Since people from PoJK have settled in plains of Jammu and other areas, I had demanded that they should also be included under ST-II category for reservation," said Dr Raina. Arvind Gupta, BJP MLA from Jammu west, also joined Dr Raina and justified the demand. Hundreds of Hindu and Sikh families from PoJK migrated and settled in the plains of Jammu region during partition. However, the social welfare minister said the extension of Scheduled Tribe-II (ST-II) benefits, covering Pahari-speaking people among others, is based on ethnic identity and not on regional considerations. "Yes' it is a fact that Scheduled Tribe-I reservation stand implemented uniformly across the entire Union Territory of J&K. The reservation to ST-II category is not region-based or area specific but is given on the basis of Pahari ethnicity to various groups as reflected in SO 176 of 2024 dated 15.03.2024," She said. The extension of ST-II reservation benefits to the Pahari ethnic group is based on their ethnic, cultural, and linguistic identity, and not region specific and is therefore consistent with the constitutional principles of equality, fairness, and non-discrimination, she added. The minister said that no separate assessment was undertaken, as the inclusion was based on ethnic identity and not on regional differentiation. The issue triggered a heated exchange between the BJP members and National Conference MLA Aijaz Jan from Poonch, who strongly opposed any extension of reservation benefits to Pahari families residing outside the hilly belts. However, Dr Raina countered Jan and reminded him that people from PoJK have also settled in plains of Jammu. He questioned the government's stand, saying that if members of Scheduled Tribe (ST-1) are entitled to reservation benefits irrespective of where they reside, the same principle should apply to Pahari-speaking people. He argued that geographical area should not be made a criterion for extending the benefits. Meanwhile, PDP MLA Waheed Para and CPI (M) MLA, MY Tarigami urged the need to rationalize amended reservation policy, which has been pending clearance by the home ministry "This amended reservation policy needs to be rationalized because 60 percent of the population today is getting 40 percent opportunities. It should be in consonance with the matrix across the nation," Para told reporters. Tarigami also expressed his concerns over it. "I am not against reservation to the oppressed section but if merit is sacrificed totally then where candidates from the open merit would go. Don't discourage merit as it won't be good for the future. Therefore, I demand that the reservation policy should be rationalized," he told reporters outside the legislative assembly. He said that the government had made a panel (CSC) which made certain recommendations. "We had demanded that the recommendations be tabled before the House for a debate so that legislators get the opportunity to put forth their suggestions and people come to know about recommendations. I have moved a resolution and if it comes up in the House then we will have a debate. I would insist upon rationalisation of this policy because every section must get its due," he added....