Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 24: Former Chief Minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti today welcomed the Government decision of providing 3 % reservation to the persons belonging to Pahari community in the State and termed it as an appropriate step towards state’s harmonious growth.
In a statement issued here, Mehbooba congratulated the Pahari community for being granted the reservation, stating that the decision was taken by the PDP led government last year in February and that she is thankful to the Governor for giving his assent to that vital decision. She said that the PDP while being in the Government had taken itself into account the social status of the Pahari community and always felt concerned about the problems faced by the educated youth from among them.
Expressing deep satisfaction over the decision taken by the Governor Satya Pal Malik, former Finance Minister Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari has welcomed the assent given to reservation bill in favour of Pahari speaking community in the State.
In a statement issued here, Bukhari said the Pahari speaking community has so far suffered immensely not in terms of socio-economic and educational benefits but because of its least representation in the administration of the state.
“With his assent to the J&K Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2014 providing reservation to Pahari community in Government jobs, the Governor has fulfilled a long pending demand of this tribe in the state for which the present dispensation deserves accolades,” Bukhari observed.
He said the amendment to the reservation bill that creates a separate category of persons belonging to Pahari community among the Socially and Educationally Backward classes will surely help its members considerably in fighting economic distress, which shall eventually lead to their socio-economic empowerment.
Senior BJP leader and MLC Vibodh Gupta complimented PM Narendra Modi and Governor SP Malik for extending 3% reservation to the Pahari community. He said,” Pahari community was struggling for long and was vulnerable to poverty, economic and social backwardness but with Governor’s assent to the Jammu & Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2014, providing reservation to the persons belonging to Pahari community, clan or tribe, in the Government jobs, ‘Acche Din’ has arrived for them.”
MLC further said, he always demanded special rights for Pahari people as remoteness and inaccessibility to the areas of their residence, the community has historically faced social, educational and economical backwardness.
National Conference State secretary and former minister, Syed Mushtaq Ahmed Shah Bukhari and senior leader Thakur Rachpal Singh lauded the decision with regard to grant of reservation to Pahari speaking people of the State.
Expressing gratitude to Governor for conceding to the demand of the Pahari speaking people, Bukhari and Singh in a joint statement said that the bill in this regard had been introduced by the National Conference led government, which was passed by the Legislative Assembly in 2014, envisaging reservation without disturbing the reservation already granted to other communities. They said National Conference has all along worked for the upliftment of the people, especially the marginalized segments of society.
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