Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 13: Jammu and Kashmir Backward Classes Commission conducted a three-day visit of areas in Jammu division and interacted with a number of delegations for listening to their demands.
The Commission was headed by its Chairman, Jeet Lal Gupta and comprised of other members, including Prof Virender Gupta and Advocate Onkar Seth. The delegations, which met the Commission, included the OBCs, Yogi community, Boria community and those of Gurdwara Granthis and Sewadars.
The Other Backward Classes delegation was led by its president, Murari Lal Balgotra, who submitted a memorandum to the Commission explaining that OBCs have population between 11-16 lakh whereas their representation as reserved category was merely 2 percent. He referred 1931 census of J&K State Government, Mandal Commission report and the recent census conducted by the State Government.
The Yoginath community, headed by Gyan Chand Yogi, represented its case for inclusion as one of the Backward Classes. Gyan Chand argued that the community had been declared as backward class by the Mandal Commission and has a population of 40-50 thousands and its members are downtrodden, socially backward and are living in adverse economic conditions.
The Boria community also pleaded for its inclusion in other Backward Classes of the State. The name of the community existed in the State Government records, the members of community narrated. The delegation told the Commission that Borias are socially and economical most backward.
The delegation comprising of Granthis and Sewadars of Gurudwara, led by S Varinderjit Singh, also represented its case for inclusion in the OBC category while pleading that Granthis and Sewadar are very poorly paid and live in hand to mouth conditions.
The Chairman assured the delegations that their cases shall be sympathetically considered and asked them to submit the relevant documents in support of their respective demands.
The Commission undertook visit to the border villages of Kathua and Samba districts on Friday and interacted with the local population to apprise itself about their grievances. The Commission assured these people that a case is made out in their favour by providing reservation in view of their continued sufferings and the Commission shall take necessary steps in that direction shortly.
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