Early Times Report
Jammu, Feb 18: Gaddi Sippi community under the banner of All J&K Gaddi Sippi Tribes Welfare Association continued their protest on second day. Today the protest/dharna was staged under the leadership of Sarpanch Bimal Kumar wherein large number of members of Gaddi Sippi participated. While addressing the community members at the site of Dharna, Kumar said that their Dharna shall continue for a total of five days in support of their demands. He stated that government established 'Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council' for Scheduled tribes of Ladakh region while for Gujjar-Bakerwal established State Advisory Board for Development of Gujjar and Bakerwals but to the surprise Gaddi Sippi communities have been ignored in all sphere of development. He contended that state government has deprived the students of Gaddi Sippi communities of their right of ST pre metric scholarship since 2007 and membership in district ST Advisory committee from the year 2008. Kumar asserted that all ethnic groups enjoying ST status in the state should be provided equal opportunities for development irrespective of their ethnicity since they all have same constitutional recognition ST. Prominent among others present in the dharna were Kuldeep Kumar, Shankar Chand, Sham Lal, Lok Nath and Rattan Chand. |