E-Paper
Centre grants ST status to Pahari community in J&K
Struggle for 40 years has finally paid off, the biggest-ever gift to the Pahari community: ex-minister Syed Mushtaq Bukhari
Ahead of assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir likely to be held next year, the BJP government granted ST status to nearly 12 lakh Pahari community in Jammu and Kashmir.
The move would propel poll prospects of the BJP, which has been aiming at a “50 plus mission” at the next assembly elections in J&K.
Union minister Dr Jitendra Singh thanked home minister Amit Shah for granting ST status to the Pahari community.
“Thanks HM Sh@AmitShah ji for conceding the long pending demand of granting ST status to #Pahari community. This could have been possible only in a government headed by PM Sh@narendramodi ji which has the courage and conviction to transform #JammuAndKashmir,” Singh wrote on his Twitter handle.
Prominent Pahari community leader Syed Mushtaq Bukhari said, “The struggle of 40 years has finally paid off. We are thankful to the BJP government.”
Former minister Bukhari, who had quit the National Conference in February this year, said, “Credit goes to the BJP. Congress always sabotaged our cause. We are highly thankful to the home minister and Prime Minister because justice has been finally delivered to us.”
Bukhari, who was once the close confidante of Farooq Abdullah, added that it was the reason why he left National Conference.
“If there is nothing wrong when Farooq Abdullah talks about Kashmiris, Pt Prem Nath Dogra talked about Dogras and Mian Altaf talks about Gujjars then how Mushtaq Bukhari could be wrong when he demanded justice for the Paharis,” he said adding, “My struggle has succeeded. Even if I don’t join BJP then also I will fully support them.”
Bukhari made it clear that no offer from the BJP has come yet.
He, however, candidly admitted that ST status was part of the BJP’s pre-poll strategy to win the trust of over 12 lakh Pahari community before the assembly elections.
“It is the biggest-ever gift to my community, and we are highly obliged to the BJP and do whatever is required from us,” he averred.
Home minister Amit Shah during his Rajouri rally on October 4, had promised to provide the ST status to the Pahari community and had also assured that “even one per cent share of Gujjars and Bakerwals won’t go to the Paharis.”
In his speech, Shah had taken a swipe at Congress, National Conference (NC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for “depriving Gujjars, Bakerwals and Paharis from their rights since 1947”.
Pahari community, it may be stated, largely resides in Rajouri, Poonch, Baramulla, Anantnag and Kupwara districts.
While the 2011 census puts the Gujjar-Bakerwal population at 1.25 million, Paharis claimed their community was over two million strong in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Pahari community includes Hindus and Muslims and is largely based on the language spoken by them in the hills.
As per rough estimates, their population stands at one million.
They are largely found in the region between the Jhelum and Chenab rivers in the districts of Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu and Uri of Baramulla district and Karnah and Tanghdar in Kupwara district.
