The Jammu and Kashmir Commission of Socially and Backward Classes has recommended the Schedule Tribe (ST) status for the Pahari Community, ahead of Union Home Minister, Amit Shah’s Rajouri scheduled on Tuesday.
The sources revealed that the Commission led by retired Justice G D Sharma, had submitted its report to government, recommending reservation to the Pahari community that could further intensify the tussle with the Gujjar-Bakerwal community which has raised banner of revolt against the government’s attempts to grant ST status to the Pahari Community. It has also been learnt in the Teetwal area of frontier border district of Kupwara of Kashmir valley, the government purposes to grant ST status to the Paharis community.
There is massive enthusiasm amongst the Pahari Community due to the visit of Home Minister in Rajouri district and for which Pahari leaders are enjoined upon the Pahari community to attend the rally of Amit Shah in large numbers as the Pahari community know fully well that the Amit Shah will announce the reservation for them and for that purpose, he is arriving himself to announce the same amongst the Pahari community.
As per reports, Pahari community is waiting anxiously for the reservation and when Amit Shah is all set to come tomorrow to Pir Panjal for which administration has made elaborate arrangements in wake of VVIP visit, as Multi layered security has been deployed to thwart the nefarious designs of the terrorists.
Since the day it was come to fore in regards to the reservation to the Pahari community, Gujjars and Bakerwal expressed their resentment and termed it ‘illogical move’ of the government as the ST community are simmering with discontent and seething with anger as they are opposing move of granting any such reservation to the Pahari community. Gujjars and Bakerwals today staged protest in Jammu against the purposed move of the government.
Women protestors gave vent to their anger by saying that government trying to grab their rights in terms of providing reservation to the Paharis, for which the Pahari community not entitled at all. This is deliberate move to take our rights which we not allowed them to do so. We are on roads just because for the reason our legal right of reservation has been snatched by the government in a clandestine manner for their ulterior motives and even went to extent of saying for vote bank.
“Under a well-knit conspiracy of the government has purposed the ST status to the Pahari community” said another protestor, adding, divide and rule policy has been adopted to divide the masses on same analogy by the government for political considerations intruding in our reservations to foment trouble between both communities. Due to the reservation both the communities locked horns with one another and raging controversy refuses to die down. We urged the government to revisit and revoked if they have taken any such decision of granting reservation to the Pahari community”, the female protestors shouted categorically, while talking to the media persons on the side-line of the protests.
It is, worthwhile to mention here in that recently High Court has dismissed a writ petition filed by the petitioner whereby petitioner sought quashing of a statutory order in which four percent reservation was granted to the Pahari community. The petitioners have sought quashing of statutory order no 127 dated 20.4.2020 by virtue of which amendments were made in relevant rules of Jammu and Kashmir reservation act 2005 where in 4 percent reservation was provided to Pahari speaking people in respect of each class, service category in the service , post under the state / Union territories as per the amended rules 2005.
The statutory order passed by the government aimed at ensuring that the pahari speaking people get the benefits of the reservations so that they are able to compete with other sections of the society.
Talking to The Hidden News, Coordination Committee Chairmen Gujjars and Bakerwals Advocate Anwar Choudhary said that he came to know about the report that was the interim report. “We had applied for the copy of the same adding, wherever possible we would challenge the report after all that report is the interim report not final one.”
He even turning tables against the members of the Socially and Backward Commission that they are not well acquainted with the different communities’ background on the basis of caste, creed and color.
On being asked the Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s tomorrow rally in Rajouri district and they me may announce the ST status to the Pahari community, Adv Anwar Choudhary stated that even if Home Minister make announcement of granting ST status that won’t make any impact at all rather, we will challenge it, the same and there was no sanctity of statements made by these political leaders of ruling government. He then cited the example of the ruling government that this government for their political considerations misleading the Pahari community and for vote bank politics doing all this divide and rule in flagrant violation of norms. He picking holes in the government functioning that they just make rhetoric on ground nothing concrete has been done and even mocked at the claims of the ruling government of given 15 lacs to the public but that does not fulfil so far which vindicated their false claims. “We opposed the granting of ST status to the Paharis, unequivocally for which even in whole country Gujjars and Bakerwals are on roads staging protests against the government purported move”, Adv. Anwar Choudhary further said adding that even in Rajasthan a resolution has been passed for opposing the ST status to them which can be evident that how the Gujjars and Bakerwals are steadfast in their mission to oppose tooth and nail such move of the government.
