Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 27: J&K Jatt Sabha members today honoured Choudhary Payara Singh, a long time president of the Sabha, for his struggle for the OBC status for Jatt community in Jammu and Kashmir.
The delegation of Sabha members included J & K Jatt Sabha president , Manjit Singh, ex-Minister, Sukhnandan Choudhary, ex-MLC, Vikram Randhawa, Kamal Choudhary, Harbans Choudhary, Mohinder Choudhary, Jatt Sabha Jammu Urban district president, corporator Ch Dwarka, Choudhary Jarnail Singh, and others.
The Sabha members congratulated Choudhary Payara Singh for his struggle to achieve the demand raised by him for the first time in Jammu and Kashmir for the OBC status to the Jatts.
Issuing a statement, the Former Minister, Manjit Singh said that “Choudhary Payara Singh had led an unforgettable movement for the Jatts so that their social, economic and political status can be uplifted.”
He said that the Sabha will honour its other members who worked for the Jatt welfare in Jammu and Kashmir and did not come to public attention.
“Their struggle and hard work had worked and finally the Government of India accepted the demand on the recommendations of Justice G.D. Sharma Commission,” he said.
He said that their struggle has not ended but the old leadership provided them inspiration and they must be honoured and respected for their efforts.
He said that the Jatt population is scattered along the borders and they were displaced many times in three wars between India and Pakistan. They were forced to abandon their homes and they had to re-settle at the border belt.
He said that these people have remained neglected politically as well and the political parties failed to give them appropriate representation and it has given rise to resentment among the community members.