Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 8: State vice president of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP),Vibodh Gupta today lambasted the Congress and the National Conference (NC) for deliberately ignoring the Pahari speaking people of district Rajouri and Poonch as well as parts of district Kupwara of the Kashmir valley and demanded that Pahari people be provided Scheduled Tribe (ST) status without any further delay.
Addressing a press conference here, today along with Party’s senior vice president, Chander Parkash Ganga, incharge Lok Sabha seat Jammu Poonch Yudhvir Sethi and State treasurer of the party, Chander Mohan Gupta, he termed ST Status as the birthright of the Pahari community and warned the Government of serious consequences if Paharies are deprived of this right.
Accusing the Congress and NC for plight of Pahari people of district Rajouri Poonch and Karnah, Uri of Kupwara, Vibodh said the two parties did injustice with Paharies as nothing has been done so far except hallow slogans and false assurances by their leaders. He asked Pahari Community to teach a lesson to these parties in forthcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections for betraying the community.
He also accused the two parties of playing with the sentiments of 30 lakh Pahari people and with the carrier of over two lakh Pahari youths for not granting ST Status them.
BJP leader said division of powerful community during the Pak invasion in 1947 under a conspiracy has been the cause of the plight of these hapless people.
He said Congress and NC repeatedly befooled the Pahari community but did nothing for the enlistment of this economically backward community. He said the Paharies are loosing the patience against the injustice meted out by the Government and warned of serious consequences if ST status is not granted to them.
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