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| Wait a while, CM tells Paharis | | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | Feb 9
Wrapping his words in the political delicacies, the Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has very politely told the Pahari speaking people to wait little for their Scheduled Tribe demand.
The reasons were obvious. The Chief Minister was apparently in no mood to take cudgels with the communities as he gears to face elections later this year. Any commitment to the Pahari speaking people could upset the apple cart of Gujjars who do not want any one else to be included in the list of Scheduled Tribes.
The Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain, who is a Pahari himself, also told his brethren that neither the occasion is opportune nor the approach appropriate. The Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister were sought to give their mind on the issue, as all Ministers, legislators, former legislators and other well meaning people from the community attended a dinner hosted by Shabir Ahmed Khan, the Vice Chairman of Pahari Board here last night.
Instead of being specific to the Paharis, the Chief Minister said that "all of us should work for the upliftment of the poor without caste and language considerations". He said that government's resolve for equitable treatment to all was attested by the fact that representatives of every community were included as members in Working Groups constituted by the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. "We do not believe in giving preference to one community over other", Azad said and added that developmental schemes have been launched across the state devoid of political or socio-economic considerations.
Dispelling the doubts created by certain quarters about the proposed political reservations the Chief Minister said that by adopting a well evolved mechanism would ensure proper representation to every community of the state.
Referring to the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) the Chief Minister said under the programme it was committed by the coalition that the central government would be persuaded to give ST status to Pahari speaking people of the state.
Speaking on the occasion and getting nostalgic about his childhood, Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Muzzafar Hussain Baig said," I am fully aware of the problems faced by the community, who have to travel inaccessible terrains to avail the basic amenities of life like education, health care and other allied things".
Complementing the community for upholding the sovereignty and secular traditions, Muzaffar Baig said that the Paharis have always believed in pluralistic character of society and have warded off external aggressors. "We are people of peace and believe in human values and secularism rather than getting carried away by the propaganda of some vested interests who are bent upon to destroy the secular fabric of the state", he maintained.
Appealing every party to come forward for redressal of grievances of the community, the Deputy Chief Minister said "every party irrespective of its political ideology should come forward to ameliorate the cause of Paharis". |
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