Protest in Billawar against BJP Govt
Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, July 27: Former minister and two times MLA from Billawar Dr Manohar Lal Sharma today urged the Prime Minister to announce ST status to all Paharis, including PoJK DPs settled in different parts of J&K.
Addressing protesters in Billawar showing resentment over ignoring Paharis of Bani, Billawar, Basholi and areas of erstwhile Chinab Valley in allotting ST status, Sharma demanded that the long pending demand should be acceded to by the Govt of India, without further delay, as promised from time to time. He said that the long pending demand was recommended by different successive State Governments to the Centre for considering grant of Scheduled Tribe status to all Paharis.
“Let the Prime Minister take a call and announce ST status to all Paharis, including displaced people,” he said. Paharis have been seeking ST status now for 30 years, since the grant of the same to Gujjars and Bakarwals in J&K in 1991, leading to reservation in jobs and seats in educational institutions for them. After the Delimitation Commission recently recommended political reservation for them as well, Pahari leaders have come together to make a fresh push for the same, Manohar added.
Manohar, an Ex-MLA from Billawar observed that Jammu region has 43 seats, six more after the delimitation exercise, while Kashmir has 47. Nine seats — 6 in Jammu and 3 in Kashmir — are reserved for STs. With this move, BJP is looking to win maximum seats from Jammu to form a government. The Centre’s promise of reservation for the Paharis, who comprise 8 per cent of the J&K population, should be seen in this context. There are nearly 10.2 lakh Paharis in J&K, according to the State Advisory Board for Development of Pahari Speaking People, based on the 2011 Census. Paharis account for 6.25 lakh population of Poonch and Rajouri districts; the Gujjars and Bakarwals’ are around 11 lakh, he added.
Dr Manohar questioned the denial of Pahari status/ benefit of reservation to a section of displaced Pahari community from POJK, settled in few pockets Jammu province, other than in Poonch – Rajouri districts and termed it a great injustice with them. He also pleaded the cause of Tribal (ST) Gaddis and Sippis seeking share in the Assembly seats. No seats have been reserved for these Tribal communities, residing mainly in the remote and hilly areas of Bani, Billawar, Dudu-Basantgarh in Udhampur and parts of erstwhile Doda district.
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