Excelsior Correspondent
MAJALTA, Mar 4: Ranbir Singh Pathania, Spokesperson J&K, BJP and former MLA Ramnagar, while addressing a gathering of Gujjar-Bakerwals at Dehma, said that grant of political reservations to STs as well as enactment of Forest Rights Act in J&K has boxed the compass in the field of empowering ‘Tribals’ of J & K.
“Gone are the days when ‘tribals’ were more or less an election-gimmick and election-fodder. This poses a serious question mark on those who have been clamoring about special status and special protection,” he said.
He further questioned as to why ‘Prevention of Atrocities (Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes) Act 1989’ was not applicable to J&K. Why a linguistic minority, ‘Pahari speaking people were denied reservation despite assurances from the top again and again” he further asked.
“For exploiting SCs, STs and Paharis, successive regimes did nothing substantial for them. They just believed in window-dressings and lip services. Fact remained that the literacy level, per capita income and overall development indicators of these sections were really alarming. The forest dwellers had been living in state of uncertainty with the department of forests and vested interests creating sporadic, tight corners for them,” said Pathania and added that it was only Bhartiya Janta Party led by PM Modi, JP Nadda and Amit Shah at the top who virtually turned the tables. Today the message and posturing is loud and clear that backward and marginalized sections of society will be accorded topmost priority and consideration by the Govt, he further said.
The BJP leader listed the achievements and schemes of the Modi-led BJP Government at Centre for the welfare of common people, particularly, SC/ST communities in J&K.
Meeting was organised by the district ST Morcha unit of Udhampur led by district president Mohd Altaf whereas Mukhtar Ahmed and Riaz Ahmed, State General Secretaries of the Morcha also delivered addresses. Hassan Sardar, MJ Khan, Parvez Ahmed, Haji Ashraf, Haji Mohd Din, Haji Mohd Azeem, Fareed Ali, Saif Mohd, Mohan Lal and a galaxy of local leadership also spoke on the occasion.
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