House witnesses heated exchanges

ST Status to Pahari-Speaking People
House witnesses heated exchanges
Archit Watts/TNS

Jammu, March 29
The demand for the Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the Pahari-speaking people rocked the Legislative Council here today. The lone legislator of the Panthers Party, Mohammad Rafiq Shah, moved a private member’s resolution, which was supported by members from treasury and opposition benches.

There were heated arguments over the issue. NC legislator Mohammad Rashid Qureshi said, “It seems that the Union government understands the language of bullets, as our demand is being overlooked. It does not mean that we can’t adopt subversive methods. If we do so, the government will be in trouble”.

He added that, “The Pahari-speaking people have guts to get their demand of 22 years fulfilled. If the government continues to give a cold shoulder to our demand, we will hear voices of a separate state”.

Showing concern for the Pahari-speaking people, Qureshi said these people were brave and could also open the border, as they usually resided in border villages.

“We can change the map of the state,” he said, adding that, “If Jats can block roads and train services in Rajasthan, why can’t we use the same method here. Still, we want to adopt peaceful methods and the government should consider our demand”.

He said the Prime Minister had also assured them of the ST status, but nothing had been done so far. Meanwhile, Jehangir Mir and Altaf Ahmad Wani of the NC, Syed Asgar Ali and Murtaza Ahmad Khan of the PDP, Ravinder Sharma of the Congress and Ajatshatru Singh of the NC supported the demand for the ST status to the Pahari-speaking people.

The legislators also hinted at an agitation by Pahari-speaking people in the near future.

On this, Minister for Social Welfare Sakina Ittoo said, “The state government is serious about getting the ST status for the Pahari-speaking people and has discussed the issue with the Union government. It is under consideration”. She added, “Now, the state government has nothing to do with it and the Centre has to take action”. Sakina said all former Chief Ministers, including Farooq Abdullah and Mufti Mohammad Syeed, besides Omar Abdullah had taken up the issue with the Centre, but the decision on it was awaited.

Hence the private member’s resolution should be dropped. Following the minister’s reply, the resolution was dropped.