Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 4:Pahari Tribe ST Forum today exuded confidence that in the coming Winter Session the Parliament will pass the reservation Bill for Pahari people of J&K by granting them the ST status.
Talking to reporters here, today the Forum representatives Ahsan Mirza and Vikrant Sharma complimented the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi Union Home Minister, Amit Shah and BJP J&K UT president, Ravinder Raina for conceding the long pending demand of Pahari people of J&K.
Ahsan Mirza said that they are hopeful that after the long drawn struggle of 40 years by the Pahari people they will now get the justice. He said in 1989 the Pahari people were on number one in the recommendations for grant of ST status but were discriminated for unknown reasons.
Mirza and Vikrant Sharma gave all credit to Modi Government and Home Minister, Amit Shah who took an initiative and promised the community that their long pending demand will be conceded by the Government.
Mirza said that Home Minister was invited by the community to Rajouri on October 4 this year and he made an announcement during a rally there in this regard. Next day the same announcement was made by him in another rally at Baramulla. Maintaining that the community will reciprocate in the same manner and after the passage of the Bill by the Parliament and proclamation made by President of India regarding grant of ST status to Pahari people, the community will stand with BJP in the coming elections and fully support the party.
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He said the community has a hold on 20 to 25 Assembly seats in the UT and it will enmass vote for BJP in the coming elections. He said that HM in his address had also made it clear that the Paharis will be given reservation without disturbing the reservation quota of Gujars and Bakerwals.
He said for the first time in last 40 years it was the Justice G D Sharma Commission took the issue of Paharis seriously and made recommendation in favour of Paharis. Earlier the demand was rejected on the pretext that the Pahari people are demanding reservation on the basis of language which was not the fact. “We are an ethnic community and demand the reservations on the basis of backwardness and abject poverty etc”, he added.
He said from November 10 a month long thanks giving rally will be held starting from Budhal in Rajouri to Karnah, Gurez Uri in North Kashmir and other parts of South and Central Kashmir to compliment the PM, HM and other BJP leaders for fulfilling their promise made with Pahari people and giving justice to them.
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