SRINAGAR: The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Castes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
According to details, both Bills were passed with support of MPs from across party lines. The ST Bill includes the Pahari Ethnic Group in the Scheduled Tribes list of Jammu and Kashmir. It also added the Gadda Brahman, Koli, Paddari communities to the ST list of Jammu and Kashmir.
The SC Bill seeks to include the Valmiki community to the Scheduled Castes list of Jammu and Kashmir. Meanwhile, BJP MP from Jammu Jugal Kishore Sharma praised the Centre for bringing justice to the people of Jammu and Kashmir by passing the Bill in the Lok Sabha.
While hitting out at the Congress, NC and PDP he said that these parties kept people away from the rights granted to them by the Constitution.
Meanwhile, former NC MLC Shehnaz Ganai also praised the Centre for bringing in this Bille and delivering justice to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“We are highly thankful to PM Modi for granted the Scheduled Tribe status to Pahari Ethnic Community. Indeed it a watershed moment and a historical day for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Passing of this bill with a thumping majority is a befitting reply to the political parties who were politicising the issue for their own vested interests,” she said in a video message.
