news details |
|
|
| Demand for ST status gains momentum among PoJK refugees | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 15: Even as the recommendations of the Cabinet Sub-Committee headed by Minister Sakina Itoo are yet to be made public, refugees from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) have intensified their campaign seeking Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
A large number of PoJK refugees staged a protest on Wednesday, demanding their inclusion in the ethnic Pahari tribe and full recognition under the Scheduled Tribe category. The renewed agitation has once again brought into focus issues of equity, inclusion and the long-pending grievances of the displaced community.
Protesters argued that since the majority of PoJK refugees are Pahari-speaking, they should be treated at par with the recognised Pahari ethnic group for reservation benefits. They maintained that linguistic and cultural identity, rather than geographical location, should be the determining factor.
The issue was also raised during the recent budget session of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, where BJP leaders Narendra Singh and Arvind Gupta strongly advocated for granting ST status to PoJK refugees settled in the plains of Jammu and other areas.
They argued that if members of existing Scheduled Tribe (ST-I) categories are entitled to reservation benefits irrespective of their place of residence, the same principle should apply to Pahari-speaking communities, including PoJK refugees. They also questioned the current policy framework, which links ST-II benefits primarily to ethnic identity while excluding similarly placed groups on regional grounds.
On the other hand, the government has maintained that the extension of Scheduled Tribe-II (ST-II) benefits, including to Pahari-speaking people, is based on ethnic classification and not on regional considerations.
PoJK refugees have criticised what they describe as selective implementation of ST status, currently limited to displaced persons from the Rajouri-Poonch belt, terming it discriminatory and unjust. They have urged the government to extend full ST benefits uniformly to all members of their community.
Tracing their origins to the upheaval during the Partition of India, the displaced families said they have endured decades of hardship following their migration. Initially, around 50,000 families migrated to India, and their population has since grown to over 12 lakh, with nearly 10 lakh residing in the Jammu region.
Despite their long presence and contribution to the socio-economic fabric of the region, the community alleges continued marginalisation and denial of benefits available to other similarly placed groups, intensifying their demand for equitable recognition under the Scheduled Tribe category.c |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
