Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 30: Enraged over the State Government for neglecting the recommendation of according ST status to ‘Kolis’ along with the Paharis, National Panther Party workers including the members of Koli community led by party chairman Harshdev Singh held a protest demonstration at Exhibition Ground here today.
NPP activists raised slogans against the BJP and the State Govt for ignoring this community despite their legitimate claim for inclusion in the said category.
Flaying the State Govt and BJP in particular for depriving the Kolis of their genuine rights, Harshdev described it as yet another venomous doze of discrimination administered to them. He divulged that while the State cabinet had recommended the grant of ST status to Pahari speaking people in the month of August this year, it blatantly ignored Kolis, despite incorporated commitment of State Govt in the ‘Agenda of Alliance”.
Singh deplored that Koli community which inhabited the far-flung areas of Kathua, Udhampur, Doda and Ramban districts, qualified for ST status in view of their cultural distinctiveness and vulnerable socio-economic conditions. He, however, regretted that not a single BJP MLA of the said area promoted their cause in the Assembly or outside. Even the Ministers from Jammu region were mute spectators when the State cabinet ignored the Koli community in its deliberations.
Reiterating the demand of Koli’s for inclusion in ST category, Harshdev stated that Koli and Sippis belong to the same family having same culture, occupation, language, economic and social status and residing in hilly area having negligible land ownership and are dependent upon rearing of animals. He said while the grant of ST status to Gaddis, Sippis earlier and now to ‘Paharies’ was praiseworthy but the inadvertent omission of Koli’s who belonged to marginalized communities needed to be rectified. Singh further said that the grant of ST status to Kolis had been recommended by various Deputy Commissioners but the much needed decision in respect was still awaited.
Yash Paul Kundal vowed that NPP shall not relent until the poor, down trodden and deprived sections of society were bestowed with their rights. He sought immediate settlement of the issue of Koli community.
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