Former legislator and spokesman of Apni Party Javeed Baig on Sunday blamed the Phari community leadership for sabotaging the Phari Reservation Bill which failed to pass in Parliament monsoon session.
The bill, pertaining to Scheduled Tribe status for Phari community in Jammu and Kashmir was presented in Lok Sabha at the beginning of the monsoon session , however, it wasn’t taken up that had caused worries among the Phari community, which is around 10 to 14% population in J&K.
The community were hopeful that bill will pass as BJP had promised ST status to the community and home minister Amit Shah held two big rallies in Baramulla and Poonch last year, where in thousands from the community participated. Even before the start of Parliament session, the community leaders were given assurance about the passing of the bill.
“This happened as the leadership of Phari community didn’t want to give credit to the BJP,” said Baig, who belongs to the Phari community and plans to contest upcoming assembly polls from Baramulla, which has miniscule population of the Pharis.
“This bill reached Parliament because of Prime Minister and home minister. The BJP took a big risk by allowing the bill to reach the Parliament and annoyed a big community who didn’t want ST status for the Pharis. When BJP leadership helped our community, our leadership should have shown more maturity. Credit should have been given to those who took this bill to Parliament. In the programmes held in Uri and Anantnag, they (Phari leaders) discouraged BJP leadership. These reports reached Delhi,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“This bill reached Parliament because of Prime Minister and home minister. The BJP took a big risk by allowing the bill to reach the Parliament and annoyed a big community who didn’t want ST status for the Pharis. When BJP leadership helped our community, our leadership should have shown more maturity. Credit should have been given to those who took this bill to Parliament. In the programmes held in Uri and Anantnag, they (Phari leaders) discouraged BJP leadership. These reports reached Delhi,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Baig said that there are many big leaders of the community who did not play politics over this issue now they should come forward.
“They should come and meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister and motivate them to give our community the ST status. BJP always wanted to help us but our immaturity ruined the day,” he said.
Gujjars in J&K, who have ST status, have been opposing the ST status to Phari community.