Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 9: The Jammu Kashmir Sharnarthi Action Committee (JKSAC), an organization of DPs from PoJK, held a meeting of its executive body members and other prominent DPs at Lower Gadi Garh in district Jammu here today.
The participants reiterated their legitimate demand for the grant of ST-2 category status to the Pahari speaking DPs of 1947 from PoJK settled in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Udhampur, Reasi, Doda etc., besides acceptance and implementation of JPC Report No 183, which is the only reasonable and adequate roadmap for the final settlement of DPs.
The participants strongly condemned the callous and discriminatory attitude of the Govt. and its designated authorities for not issuing the certificate to the Pahari speaking DPs despite of crystal clear rule and further clarification given by the concerned Minister on the floor of J&K Assembly on April 8, 2025. The meeting warned the Govt. of the dire consequences if the legitimate demand for the grant of ST-2 category is not acceded to and in this regard a decision was also taken to formulate a 15 member sub-committee for the follow up action.
Speaking in the meeting Gurdev Singh, JKUT president alongwith other prominent DPs Inderjeet Sharma, RC Sharma, Ajeet Singh, Prof Amit Raina, Tarlok Singh Tara and Netar Parkash strongly criticized the divisive and discriminatory policy of the Govt. These people were forced to flee from POJK and migrate to this part of J&K and elsewhere. Many of them were killed. These displaced peoples were temporarily rehabilitated by the then Govt as per the availability of the lands allotted to them under it’s rehabilitation policy in different districts of Jammu region, with the result that these blood related DPs families having same distinct culture, ethnic and linguistic identities of Pahari community/clan, speaking Pahari language were got scattered.
They said that it is a matter of satisfaction that DPs residing in Poonch and Rajouri have been granted ST-2 status but at the same time they strongly criticized the Govt for its divisive policy and discriminatory attitude regarding DPs settled in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Reasi, Udhampur who have been denied the status of ST-2 category.
JKSAC members appealed to the Chief Minister and Lt. Governor to issue an advisory to the concerned department and its designated authorities to issue ST-2 category certificates to the Pahari speaking DPs without any further delay.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
