Adil Hamdani
Rajouri: Pahari Tribe ST Forum, a socio cultural organization for welfare of Pahari Tribe, held One Day workshop on contemporary issues related to Pahari Tribe at Boys Pahari Hostel, Rajouri. During the programme Panchayat level committees of Rajouri block were framed and announced.
Prominent members of Pahari tribe took part in one day workshop and in one voice reiterated demand of due ST STATUS to the Pahari ethnicity. Signature campaign was also extended in the area.
Speakers on this occasion deliberated upon their demand for Scheduled Tribe status and said that their genuine demand has unfortunately been ignored since decades and Pahari tribe is still waiting to get its genuine right of ST status. After the release of draft by the delimitation commission in which 5 out of 8 MLA constituencies of Rajouri Poonch, has been reserved for ST and this too in the area predominated by the natives of Pahari Tribe in the twin border district is just like a do or die situation for Pahari Tribe to raise their concern with full conviction. Confidence of natives of Pahari tribe is very low after this report and this can only and only restored by rendering due ST status to Pahari Tribe.
They said that Pahari ethnicity constitute a tribe well mentioned by the government of India with constitutional amendment and live in hilly, tough terrain of border area lacking the deficiency in all sectors and also are part of seasonal migration every year and fulfills all prerequisite to be given Schedule Tribe status as cleared by all pannel reports, Backward Commission Reports and Constitutional Amendments.
The speakers hailed the concern shown by Government of India in recent times which clearly indicate that Pahari is set to get their basic right of Schedule Tribe status that got delayed for such a long time by some quarters with vested interests.
Interacting during the proceedings the members of the ethnicity in one voice raised concerns of their down trodden condition and appealed GOI to furnish their due long pending demand of ST status. Adding claimed that Pahari tribe is the most hitten people of 1947 partition and most of people residing at POJK belongs to Pahari tribe.
The speakers also pointed PM Modiji government who is having complete majority and works with full conviction and will definitely address this genuine demand of much deprived tribe.
From time to time different committees and expert panels declared Pahari tribe as the downtrodden ethnicity. Pertinent to mention since 1993 every Governor and Chief Minister of J&K has recommended due ST status to Pahari tribe, added. Moreover in the last three years most of the prerequisite lackings has been rectified with logical findings.
Pahari Tribe ST Forum executive members who interacted includes Adv. Ashan Mirza, Adv. Gurdev Thakur, Sajjad Mirza, Nikhil Gupta, Nagesh Sharma, Aftab Tantray, Vishal Pahari and RS Malla while Warden Boys Pahari Hostel Rajouri Hamid Malik presided over the function.
Those prominent who were present includes Sarpanch Kulbir, Sarpanch Kewal Sharma, Sarpanch Karan Saryal, Sarpanch Pervez Khan, Kapil Saryal, Subash Sharma( Retd. ADC) Fareed Qazi, Rangbaaz Khan, Mohd. Iqbal, Pervez Ahmed, Ghulam Fatima, Zubair Mirza, Mohd. Khan, Rakesh Kumar, Kala Khan, Barkat Ali, Swar Khan, Mudassir Shah, Haji Noor Alam, Mohd Yunas, Mohd khan, Alyas Khan, Mujahid Khan, Angrez Singh, Ashok Sharma, Balwant Singh,Kulwant Singh and many more.
