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| Pahari leaders hail Saghir' report, demand ST status | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Mar 21: Welco-ming the recommendations of Justice Saghir Ahmed report favouring Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for Pahari speaking people, National Conference MLA and Pahari leader, Syed Mushtaq Bukhari today demanded implementation of the recommendations made by the report.
"Pahari speaking people spread over all the regions of the State and they have been demanding ST status for the last sixty years. The ST status to Pahari would benefit nearly 12 lakh people from the community and Saghir report has taken a right decision for the community which is socially, economically and educationally week than other communities in the state", Bukhari told reporters here this afternoon. Bukhari, who is also president of Jammu and Kashmir Pahari Cultural and Welfare Forum, said that in a Cabinet decision vide No-159 of 1989, government had recommended the case of the Paharies for scheduling them as tribe along with the seven other communities, but unfortunately the community was left out from its purview.
"Despite announcements made by the successive central governments that Pahari community deserves the ST status, its implementation remained a distant dream for the community," he maintained.
"While on visit to Jammu and Kashmir in the public rallies in Tangdhar and Rajouri, the then Prime Ministers of India made public commitment in the rallies admitting and ensuring the grant of ST status in favour of the Pahari speaking people, but it was not implemented properly till date," he regretted.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Legislative Assembly passed the unanimous resolution recommending the case of the Pahari for grant of ST status some years back.
"We are very thankful to the government that it had clarified the queries raised by the Registrar General of India and again recommended for conferring the ST status in favour of the Paharies," Bukhari said.
The NC said that Saghir report on Centre-State Relations has done Justice with the community and they are hopeful that Central Government would implement the report in letter and spirit.
Member of Legislative Council, Mohammad Rashid Qureshi said, "Implementation or non-implementation of Saghir's report is the prerogative of Union Government and both the houses of State Legislature have nothing to do with it. We are here to welcome Saghir report's recommendations for granting ST status to Paharis."
Former MP and Pahari leader, Mirza Abdul Rashid said, "ST status to Pahari community in the State imperative for tranquility and normalcy in J&K."
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