Reservation for Pahari; Gujjar-Bakerwal in under process, after recommendation of justice GD Sharma commission
Making the much awaited announcement of reservation for the Pahari community of Rajouri-Poonch districts of Jammu and Kashmir, which would incorporate several areas of Kashmir valley, Union Home minister Amit Shah today said that the process has been initiated and reservation would be given to Pahari, and Gujjar-Bakerwal Community, on the basis of recommendation made by Justice GD Sharma commission.
The Home Minister, also attacking Abdullah, Mufti and Gandhi families said that earlier the democracy in J&K was in the clutches three families only. “The democracy in J&K got ‘liberated’ after implementation of 73rd and 74th amendments. Now the democracy has reached to 30 thousand elected representatives of the people of J&K”, he said. Earlier, all means were under control of these three families. The masses got nothing for last 70 years in J&K”, he added.
The Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit, on the auspicious occasion of Navmi, Amit Shah offered his prayers at the Vaishno Devi temple and prayed for the progress and prosperity of the country. Several dignitaries including the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha and Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh were also present on the occasion.
In his address, Amit Shah said that this massive rally in Rajouri is a response to those who claimed that if Article 370 is removed, there will be violence in Jammu and Kashmir. He said that the immense love and trust of the people towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi motivates the government to work for the welfare of the people in J&K. He said that the people of Pahari and Gurjar-Bakarwal community have always stood like a rock to protect India and all Indians sleep peacefully because of the existence of such an impenetrable wall of security.
The Union Home Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has remembered the contribution of Maharaja Hari Singh and declared his birthday as a State holiday. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has put the development of the region as his top priority. Shri Amit Shah said that for 70 years, three families ruled in J&K and restricted democracy within their families. But, since 2014, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Panchayat elections were conducted in 2014 and thereafter Tehsil and District Panchayat elections were conducted in 2019, and now the governance of Jammu and Kashmir, which was earlier restricted within three families, now includes 30 thousand people.
Amit Shah said that Prime Minister Modi took an important decision on August 5, 2019 and removed Article 370 and 35A. He said that with the removal of Article 370, depressed classes, Dalits, Tribals and hill people have got their rights in J&K. The Home Minister said that now no one can suppress the rights of people as Prime Minister Modi has ensured that democracy is not restricted within three families, but 30 thousand people become part of it. Shri Shah said that after the abrogation of Article 370, Prime Minister Modi had promised that elections will be held at the earliest and for this delimitation was necessary. The earlier delimitation was not done as per the rules of the commission, but to benefit only the three families. But now for the first time after Independence, a real delimitation has been completed and seats have been increased in the hill areas. By initiating the delimitation process, Prime Minister Modi has ensured justice to the people in Rajouri, Poonch, Doda and Kishtwar. He said that the three families left no stone unturned in indulging in corruption during their rule. Shri Shah said that Prime Minister Modi is giving free health facilities up to Rs.five lakh to 27 lakh families of Jammu and Kashmir, which these three families never provided in the last 70 years as they were corrupt and grabbed money coming from Delhi.
The Union Home Minister said that to control corruption, the Anti-Corruption Bureau was created in Jammu and Kashmir, Whistleblower Act was implemented, complaint registration via mobile was initiated through UMANG, ‘SatarkNagrik’ mobile application was launched, Vigilance offices have been opened and Electronic Vigilance Clearance System has also been installed. He said that tourism is the biggest source of employment in Jammu and Kashmir and since January, 2022 till date, 1.62 crore tourists have visited Jammu and Kashmir, which is the highest in 75 years of Independence. He said that tourism has generated maximum employment in various regions of Jammu and Kashmir including Poonch, Rajouri, Jammu and the Valley. Shri Shah said that for 70 years the people had been demanding international flights from Jammu and Kashmir. Fulfilling this popular demand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has started direct flight from Srinagar to Sharjah. Earlier there was no flight during the night from Srinagar and Jammu, Prime Minister Modi has started night flights from the city.
Amit Shah said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched a continuous campaign against terrorists and separatists, as a result of which the number of terrorist incidents in Jammu and Kashmir has come down drastically. The number of terrorist incidents between 2006 and 2013 was 4,766 whereas after the abrogation of Article 370, terrorist incidents in the period from 2019 to 2022 have come down from 4,766 to just 721. Along with this, there is a decrease in the casualties of the security personnel. This shows that Jammu and Kashmir is now safe. The Union Home Minister said that earlier there were reports of stone pelting, but now this does happen because the Prime Minister has replaced stones in the hands of the youth with laptops, has provided them employment and this change is very important for Jammu and Kashmir.
The Union Home and Cooperation Minister said that earlier no one could have imagined a medical college in Rajouri. But, today by opening a medical college here, Prime Minister Modi has not only given an opportunity to the youth of this place to become doctors, but has also provided free healthcare to all the residents of this place, so that the people in the region would no longer have to go to Jammu for treatment. Along with this, medical colleges have also been opened in Kathua, Doda, Anantnag, Baramulla. Under the leadership of the Prime Minister, the Government of India spent Rs. 139 crore for the medical college in Rajouri only. With an expenditure of Rs. 480 crore the work of construction of Rajouri, Dhannamandi and Surankot Road has also been furthered. Under the Border Area Development Execution Plan, the Prime Minister has allocated Rs. 21 crore and initiated 28 schemes. Under the Pradhan MantriGraminSadakYojana, 3,167 km of roads have been constructed. Prime Minister Modi has also allocated Rs. 1,337 crore for the four laning of the Jammu-Poonch highway.
The Union Home and Cooperation Minister said that Prime Minister Modi has provided electricity for the first time to more than 20,000 houses in the hilly areas of Jammu and Kashmir. After 75 years, electricity has reached homes in the region. Electricity has been ensured to 3.80 lakh houses across Jammu and Kashmir. A lot of work has been done under the Prime Minister’s Development Package. These include 624 MW Kiru HEP project, 540 MW Kar HEP project and ShahpurKundi Irrigation and Power Project. Shri Shah said that AIIMS, IIT, Indian Institute of Management, Indian Institute of Mass Communication etc. have been set up in Jammu. Medical colleges and GMC institutions have also been built here. The Union Home and Cooperation Minister said that in the first 72 years of Independence, industrial investment of Rs. 15,000 crore came into Jammu and Kashmir, whereas due to the announcement of anIndustrial Policy by Prime Minister Modi, in just 3 years from 2019 till now an investment of Rs. 56,000 crore has been ensured and this will provide employment to the youth of Jammu and Kashmir. Many support groups, more than 4,500 youth clubs and many other plans have also been formed. About two lakh people have been provided homes in Jammu and Kashmir. Work has been done to ensure tap water to five lakh houses. PoshanAbhiyan, MatruVandanaYojana and Health Mission have also been taken forward.
Amit Shah said that the development of Jammu and Kashmir region is a priority for Prime Minister Modi. He said that earlier injustice was meted out to the Pahari people of Jammu and Kashmir, as they did not get any Reservation. The Prime Minister cleared the way for reservation by removing Article 370. Justice Sharma’s commission was formed to consider Reservation, which has sent its recommendations to give reservation to the Pahari, Bakarwal and Gurjar people. As soon as the administrative process of these recommendations is over, Gurjar, Bakarwal and Pahari people are going to get the benefits of reservation. The Union Home Minister said that the energy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is boosted by the love of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The Home Minister said that a few people do not want peace in the region. He said that Prime Minister Modi wants to develop this region as he knows that these hills of PirPanjal have been protected by the people for centuries, and their ancestors have shed their blood to protect the borders of India. Today, like the rest of the country, the youth of Rajouri and Poonch should also be employed, entrepreneurship should be promoted in the region, people should get the benefit of Reservation and MLAs and MPs should be elected from the region. He said that Prime Minister Modi wants holistic development of Jammu and Kashmir. Amit Shah called upon the people to liberate Jammu and Kashmir from the rule of three families and support the vision of Prime Minister Modi.
