Early Times Report
Jammu, July 5: The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory, has strongly criticized the continued delay in appointing the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Advisory Board for Welfare and Development of Scheduled Castes, stating that the Board has become ineffective due to the absence of its leadership. BSP J&K President Darshan Rana said the Advisory Board, which is entrusted with safeguarding the rights of Scheduled Castes, providing legal assistance to victims under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, and ensuring implementation of welfare schemes, has remained without a Chairman and Vice Chairman for a prolonged period. At present, only the Secretary is handling administrative affairs, leaving the institution without policy direction and effective decision-making. He stated that the absence of political leadership has severely affected the delivery of welfare benefits, legal support, educational assistance, and socio-economic development initiatives meant for the Scheduled Caste community. According to him, the Board has failed to make any visible impact on the ground, while thousands of deserving beneficiaries continue to face unnecessary delays and administrative hurdles. Darshan Rana urged the Hon’ble Chief Minister to immediately appoint a full-time Chairman and Vice Chairman from among dedicated and experienced members of the Scheduled Caste community with a proven commitment to social justice and Ambedkarite values. He further reiterated BSP’s demand for complete digitization of the Board’s services through a dedicated online portal within 60 to 90 days to ensure transparency, accountability, and easier public access. He warned that if these genuine demands continue to be ignored, the Bahujan Samaj Party will launch a democratic mass movement across Jammu and Kashmir to safeguard the constitutional rights, dignity, and welfare of the Scheduled Caste community. “The Scheduled Caste community deserves effective leadership, not administrative neglect. The Government must immediately appoint the Chairman and Vice Chairman and make the Advisory Board fully functional,” Darshan Rana asserted. |