By Zubair Qureshi
Jammu, Nov 4 (IANS): The Pahari tribe of Jammu and Kashmir is jubilant after the Registrar General of India (RGI) and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) sealed the recommendations of the commission of three members of the backward class to include the tribe in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) Category.
According to Pahari leaders, they are fully convinced that the current government is for the poor and middle class people.
Till date, the record of inclusion of Paharis in the ST category could not go beyond the institutions of Registrar General of India and National Commission of Scheduled Tribes but now with the stamp of these institutions on the file, the pending application is considered to be fulfilled.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also made it clear during his recent visit to Kashmir that justice would be served very soon for the Pahari tribe.
The efforts of the All Jammu and Kashmir Pahari Cultural and Welfare Forum to bring justice to the Pahari tribe, who were victims of partition, are now bearing fruit.
A movement was started under this banner in the 1970s which led to the broadcast of the Pahari program from the All India Radio station in Srinagar, while the Pahari program ‘Lashkara’ was broadcast by the Doordarshan Kendra in Srinagar.
Separately, the establishment of a department for the promotion and development of language and literature, the formation of the Advisory Council of Jammu and Kashmir for the development of the tribe, the establishment of more than nine hostels, scholarships for hill tribe students, 4 percent reservation in Jammu and Kashmir until ST status is granted, etc. also helped the community.
According to the Pahari leaders, ST status for the tribe is a great achievement, credit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Thanking the central government, Abdul Majeed Zindadil, a prominent leader of the tribe, said that with this historic decision, he is confident that Prime Minister Modi is delivering on his promise for the welfare of the lower and middle classes of society.
“Justice has been served for the long-suffering Pahari tribe. And it was possible thanks to Prime Minister Modi,” he said.
