Pahari people reiterate their demand of ST Status in one day convention.

SHYAM SOOD
RAJOURI FEBRUARY 13:–Pahari people once again have reiterated their demand for ST Satus to their tribe in the one-day convention held at Pahari Hostel here in Rajouri on Sunday.
Several delegates belonging to Pahari organisations from different parts of Rajouri district expressed their views in the convention on their demand of ST status.
Pitching forward their demand for granting Scheduled Tribe status, the convention was organised for the social & political activists of the Darhal-Budhal Assembly segment.
The convention was chaired by Mohammad Iqbal Malik, District Development Council (DDC) member from Darhal.
A number of Pahari leaders took part in this convention, including Mohammad Iqbal Malik, Manzoor Naik, Shahbaz Khan, Thakur Gurdev Singh, Ayoub Pahlwan, Muneer Mirza, Younes Raja, Basharat Rather, and Shabir Hussain.
Addressing this convention, Pahari leaders said that demand for granting Scheduled Tribes status to them is their long-pending demand and the successive governments made only hollow promises and no concrete decision was taken in this regard in the past.
Speakers during the convention raised the demand for providing ST status to Pahari ethnicity and said their genuine issue was being ignored by the earlier Governments.
They expressed their confidence in the present regime led by a powerful, stable Government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and appealed to him for granting ST status to the Pahari community.
Pertinently, since 1989 almost all Governors and Chief Ministers have recommended to the Government of India to grant ST status to the Pahari Tribe.
Pahari leaders hoped that the only present Government seems committed to provide justice to the Pahari people.
“Day is not far when Paharis will get ST status, which is their genuine demand as well as right.” They said.
The participants also discussed the issues of the political platform during this convention and reiterated their commitment towards the fulfillment of the demand for ST status.