Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 16: Agitated over the non-inclusion of Koli community in the list of Scheduled Tribes (ST) despite repeated assurances given by Union as well as State Government, Panthers party today held a massive demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
The Panthers activists led by Harshdev Singh, chairman, JKNPP and former Minister and Yashpal Kundal, State president, Young Panthers, raised slogans against BJP and Central Government for ignoring the Koli community despite their legitimate claims for inclusion in the ST category.
Speaking on the occasion, Harshdev Singh said that BJP-PDP had promised the grant of ST Status to Paharies and Kolis during their election campaigns in J&K and had subsequently incorporated the same in the Agenda of Alliance. He however regretted that no initiative was taken thereafter by any of the parties to rake up the issue during the successive sessions of the Legislative Assembly and Parliament.
He said that the Koli community largely inhabits District Udhampur, district Kathua, district Doda and district Ramban, with all the elected representatives including MLAs and MPs belonging to BJP from the said areas. He however regretted that not a single MLA or MP of these areas promoted their cause in the Assembly, Parliament or outside.
Flaying the callous attitude of the concerned authorities towards the most legitimate demand of the Koli community, Singh said that the grant of ST status to Kolis has been recommended by various DCs of J&K as well as J&K Administrative Department of Social Welfare on the report sought by the Central Government but the much needed decision in respect of these recommendations was still awaited.
Urging upon the Union Minister for Tribal Affairs to take notice of the genuine grievance of the Koli community, Singh sought initiation of appropriate steps for their inclusion in ST category.
Yash Paul Kundal while speaking on the occasion sought immediate settlement of the issue of Kohli community failing which, he said, Panthers party would intensify its agitation.
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