SRINAGAR: Referring to the passing of three bills in Lok Sabha on Wednesday granting reservation to the OBCs in Municipalities and Panchayats, inclusion of Valmikis in Scheduled Castes (SCs), and the grant of ST status to Paharis, PM Narendra Modi said the abrogation of Article 370 ensured equal rights for these communities in Jammu and Kashmir, aligning them with the rest of the country.
Replying to the motion of thanks on the President’s address to the Rajya Prime Minister said it was after the abrogation of Article 370 that the SC/ST/OBCs got their rights in Jammu and Kashmir which were denied to them for last seven decades.
“The benefits which had been extended to SCs, STs and OBCs at other places for years together were given in Jammu and Kashmir only after abrogation of Article 370,” Modi said.
Similarly, the Forest Rights Act, Prevention of Atrocities Act, and domicile rights for Balmiki community in the state were also implemented only after the abrogation of Article 370. He also mentioned the passing of the bill for OBC reservation in the local bodies of the state.
Hailing the historic passage of the Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024 by the Lok Sabha, granting scheduled tribe status to Paharis, Padari Tribes, Koli and Gadda Brahmin, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said that the bill has fulfilled a long-standing demand of these communities.
The JK DIPR in a statement qouting LG said, “A historic day for Jammu Kashmir! Lok Sabha has cleared the Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024 to grant scheduled tribe status to Paharis, Padari Tribes, Koli and Gadda Brahmin, fulfilling the long pending demand of these communities.”
“Under leadership of Hon’ble PM Sh Narendra Modi Ji, govt has ensured inclusion of these communities in Scheduled Tribes list will have no impact on current level of reservations available to Gujjars, Bakarwals& other tribe & they will continue to get reservation like before,” LG Sinha said.
He said that after the bill is cleared in Rajya Sabha, the UT administration will issue necessary notifications ensuring that the people included in the existing list of Scheduled Tribes continue to get the same level of reservation. “The UT administration is committed to build a J&K which focuses on balanced development and benefits all sections of society with the Mantra of inclusive development.”
BJP national general secretary, Tarun Chugh called the grant of ST status to Paharis as a watershed moment for the Union Territory.
He said that 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 interest.
Chugh said that these bills have brought justice to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and it has only been possible under the leadership of PM Modi. “Congress and other regional parties have failed to deliver justice to the people over the last 70 years and used these communities for their own political benefits only,” he said.
He said that these bills will restore the rights of the people belonging to Pahari and other communities who have been added in the SC and ST lists, while the PM Modi-led Government has also elevated the status of Gujjar and Bakerwal communities.
Meanwhile, the leaders of Jammu Kashmir Pahari Tribal Movement led by its chairman and ex MLC, Syed Rafiq Ahmed, Dr Mir Khurshid, Mohammed Shafiq Khan and Syed Manzoor Shah called on Tarun Chugh at New Delhi party headquarters and complimented the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi for granting ST status to Pahari people.
