Subash Brahamnu Chatriari
More than two and half decades ago Gaddi and Sippi were granted the status of Scheduled Tribes in 1991.First and foremost aim of this status was to eradicate the bottlenecks in the development of these ethnic groups by uplifting and improving their socio- economic conditions.But it is a sad fact of the side that even after such a long time nothing much has been changed as it was expected. It is very unfortunate that successive Governments of Jammu and Kashmir failed to implement and execute the the decision in full letter and spirit as a result of which the pace of development and welfare measures for Gaddi and Sippi community are far beyond from its envisaged destination. The story of discrimination goes back to first step in the implementation of this status as dual communities were put into a Sub-catagory of Scheduled Tribes namey Scheduled Tribes Others (STO) having merely one percent of reservation that too alongwith a number of other ethnic groups. Although both the Tribal groups have a unique Identity, Culture and history of their own still their share of reservation was clubbed with a number of other Tribal groups which is not only illogical but also an unconstitutional and discriminatory one. Even a layman knows that one percent is not a sizable figure to be shared between a number of Tribal Groups. Morover both the groups have been widely discriminated as for as the Development and welfare avenues are concerned.
There is neither an agency nor any Development Board to look after and safeguard the interests and aspirations of Gaddi and Sippi community. As the Gaddies are traditionally shepherds and being so they used to move from one place to an other alongwith their flock for survival. It is pertinent to mention here that due to turmoil and disturbance created by terrorism in last 25 years this community has gone through a very bad phase physically, mentaly and financly but unfortunately neither any compensation nor any rehabilitation framework has been introduced for them. All this has forced the Innocent Gaddi and Sippi of Jammu and Kashmir to live a miserable life even after getting the Status of Scheduled Tribes. Both the communities are having a sizeable population in more than five districts of J & K State but their share in key departments or decision making agencies/ process is almost negligible. It is pertinent to mention here that a group of Sippi community whose sub cast was wrongly entered as Koli instead of Sippi in their revenue records since time immemorable were denied the Status of Scheduled Tribes and afterwards many a time clarifications were submitted to successive Governments that Sippi and Koli are one and the same and even recently few legislators of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly have also raised this issue on the floor of the house but no action has been taken in this regard by the State Government. The list of prejudices and discrimination with these groups is very long and painful which needs some immediate and favourable actions from Government of Jammu and Kashmir in order to prevent further Deterioration of interests and aspirations of both the communities.
Hence and it is requested to Chief Minister of our State to intervene in this regard and address and the acknowledge the genuine demands of Gaddi and Sippi community on priority basis. It is the need of hour to address the alarming issues of Gaddi and Sippi Community by providing an adequate reservation in professional course, constituting an independent Board for the Development of Gaddi and Sippies and by providing the Status of Scheduled Tribes to Kolies who are actually Sippies and a score of representations and clarifications in this regard had been already submitted to the Government of Jammu and Kashmir. In nutshell the listed demands and requests of Gaddi and Sippi Community are factual, genuine and free from any biased interest and a decisive action in this regard may very kindly be taken in order to ensure the feelings of justice for all.
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