Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, July 9: In order to give momentum to the ongoing struggle for getting the ST status for Pahari speaking people, a one day convention was organized by the Rashtriya Pahari Andolan (RPA) and Jammu and Kashmir People’s Pahari Movement (JKPPM), here today.
MLC Vibodh Gupta was the chief guest on the occasion whereas veteran leader of BJP Kuldeep Raj Gupta acted as the guest of honour.
Speaking on the occasion, Vibodh Gupta assured that he and his party were committed to work for the welfare of the community in order to get the ST status for the people of Peer Panjal region. Throwing light on the cultural ethnicity of the Pahari people, he asserted that it was the community, which always stood united with the nationalist forces of the nation and contributed in the national security by means of strengthening the bond of brotherhood in the area. “This is really unfortunate that even after showing such a courage and enthusiasm we have to still struggle for getting the Right of Equality,” he said and appealed the people of Peer Panjal region to strengthen his hands for getting the Pahari status at the earliest.
Kuldeep Raj Gupta, in his address, claimed that the then Vajpayee Government had almost finalized to accord ST status to the Pahari speaking people but the successive Congress Government stalled the move.
Earlier in his address, Vikrant Sharma, Chairman RPA projected the aims and objectives of the organization and urged the State Government to officially observe Pahari Week on the pattern of Ladakh Week wherein the people of other parts of the State and country could be awared with the rich cultural heritage of Pahari community.
Prominent among others, who also spoke on the occasion, included Shafiq Mir, Tazim Dar, Advocate Qadar Khan, Bashir Mirza, Parveen Raina, Himanshu Bhargav and Vishal Pahari.
Follow our WhatsApp channel