Akshay Azad
Jammu, Aug 7: The long pending demand of Pahari speaking population of Jammu and Kashmir, seeking Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, might soon be conceded to as the proposal forwarded by Jammu and Kashmir Government has got the concurrence of Registrar General of India.
Sources informed Early Times that Union Government on June, 15, 1999 (further amended on 25-6-2002), had laid down the modalities for determining the claims for inclusion or exclusion from and other modifications in the orders specifying lists for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
"According to these modalities, only those proposals which have been recommended and justified by the concerned State Governments and concurred with by the Registrar General of India (RGI) and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) are to be considered for amendment of legislation", sources said.
They further said that Jammu and Kashmir Government had forwarded proposal for inclusion of "Pahari Speaking People" and "Argon Community" in Scheduled Tribes (ST) in state years back but the proposal for inclusion of "Argon Community" has been rejected by Registrar General of India but reportedly the proposal of "Pahari Speaking People" has got the concurrence of RGI.
Sources further said that as per laid down modalities, the file of Pahari Speaking people was under process and it would take some more time, to get the status. The state coalition Government headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has time and again reiterated their support to the Pahari Speaking people for ST status but it didn't go well with Gujjar and Bakerwal communities, which were against the demand of Pahari Speaking people.
Pertinently, on August 2, 2006, the State Government had discussed a 'Scheduled Tribe' (ST) status for the Paharis with the Centre. The Paharis' demand for ST status is based on a claim that their socio-economic condition is similar to the Gujjars, who got ST status in 1991.
The Congress recognized this demand in its manifesto and the Common Minimum Programme (CMP). The Government of India had rejected this demand in 2000 and 2002, based on the recommendations of a Parliament panel due to lack of evidence supporting the existence of a Pahari tribe, but the proposal was once against forwarded by Omar Abdullah led coalition Government to Union Government. |
