Excelsior Correspondent
KISHTWAR, May 4: Congress today demanded granting of Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to Pahari people in Jammu and Kashmir, saying any further delay on the issue would be against the national interest.
This was stated by PCC vice president and former Minister G M Saroori (MLA) while addressing the people at Mangthalla area of Thakrie and Delhoti area of Tehsil Drabshallah in district Kishtwar today.
Mr Saroori said that the people, residing in the entire Chenab belt, Pir- Panchal border belts and Pahari-speaking part of Kashmir valley, should be declared as Scheduled Tribe (ST). “Over 20 lakh Paharis are facing discrimination and step-motherly treatment by the State and Central Government, as they have not been granted ST status,” Saroori said.
He further pointed out that more than two lakhs educated unemployed youth from the community are the most sufferers and can be misled or misused by anti-national and anti-social elements.
Lambasting the so called leaders for playing cheap and dirty politics, Saroori said that the number of schemes in various sectors of development including health, R&B, water supply, power, education, agriculture and allied sectors during the last more than 12 years in district Kishtwar and Doda speak about the performance of Congress and response to the public demands.
Various demands and grievances were raised by people of Mangthalla and Delhoti which included non-payment of MGNREGA wages, better medical facilities, veterinary services, drinking water, better staff position in the schools, improvement in water supply schemes and replacement of old rotten wooden poles with steel poles.
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