Early Times Reporter
Jammu | Mar 17
Jammu and Kashmir Cultural and Welfare forum today organized a one day seminar on Paharis, neglected community at Jammu today.
M.Y. Tarigami, MLA, CPI(M) was the chief guest on the occasion.
Sharafat Ali Khan, Chairman, Pahari Forum in his address differentiated the Pahari Tribe from Gujjars by conducting census which substantiated the proof that Pahari population is five times more than that Gujjars.
The seminar was attended by various renowned scholars, academicians, political leaders, students, prominent citizens and delegates of Pahari Forum from all over the state. Speakers during discussion on the topic “Pahari, a neglected community” deliberated over the subject and tried to establish a willful neglect of the community which is the third biggest population after Kashmiris and Dogra who were wrongly identified as “Gujjars”.
Besides this, a meager Gujjar population is also enjoying the benefits of RBA, ALC ignoring the bulk of Pahari population to whom both the Govts state and centre, making false promises. During middle of discussion, a book titled “Pahari tribals and political commitments” was also released. Javed Rahi, a Gujjar scholar’s book “Gujjar encyclopedia” was also demonstrated, shown Pahari persons, Pahari culture by proxy as Gujjars and got benefit of ST.
The speakers also demanded the fulfillment of promise of S.T status to Pahari. Prominent among who participated in seminar included M.M. Khajuria, Balraj Puri, Aslam Qureshi, A.M. Wattali, Tahir Naseem Manhas, A.Q. Manhas, Arun Sharma, Yog Raj Gupta, Syed Wajahat Ali, Rafiq Hussian Khan, Tabassum Bukhari, Prof. Zahir-udin and others. |
