GCPFJ demands end of caste based reservations, privileges

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 11: General Category People’s Forum Jammu (GCPFJ) today stressed for ending of caste based reservations, quotas, special privileges and concessions, as their continuation is clear-cut violation of Article -14 of Indian Constitution.
Addressing a meeting of the Forum here today, its chairman, Raj Kumar Banathia alleged that J&K as well as Central Government has been promoting casteism and communalism through their policies. He added that discrimination on the basis of caste, religion and region is detrimental to the unity and integrity of the nation.
Banathia demanded ‘equal rights and equal laws for all’ to ensure communal amity, harmony, equality, justice and dignity to all. He warned that the attitude of the political class and its acts of promoting casteism and communalism and sacrifice national interest for the lust of power would have serious ramifications.
Yash Paul Sharma, president of the Forum, demanded a basic level of equality and equity for all the three regions of J&K, setting up of the Regional Councils in all the three regions with adequate administrative and financial powers. He also demanded setting up of delimitation commission and issuance of white paper showing the funds received and expenditure made for different regions in the last three years.
Som Nath Sharma, general secretary, demanded creation of five more districts in Jammu namely Billawar, Sunderbani, Nowshera, RS Pura and Akhnoor while VK Sharma, vice-president of the Forum, demanded grant of citizenship rights to the refugees from West Pakistan.
Deepak Khajuria, secretary, in his brief intervention, demanded construction of old-age homes for needy in all districts, free health care scheme for senior citizens and initiation of crop insurance policy for farmers while Bhushan Pargal, vice-president of the Forum, supported the idea of separate Jammu State for which Panthers Party had been fighting.
In the end, a resolution was unanimously passed, demanding check on corruption, welfare of people, rule of law and end of secessionist violence.

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